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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28820028">Ever Know</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BluebellWinter/pseuds/BluebellWinter'>BluebellWinter</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon relationships aren't guarenteed though, Harry Is The Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter Has a Twin, Lily and James die in the prologue, Multi, The first chapter is a bit of a rehash of the zoo trip, The rest will be different though, clairvoyant character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:47:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>25,466</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28820028</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BluebellWinter/pseuds/BluebellWinter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kerria Potter is considered a freak of the Dursley household and at school because she knew things before they even happened. The only person that treated her like a normal person was her twin brother, Harry. </p><p>When she and Harry get to Hogwarts, Kerria sees it as her chance to start over, hoping that all she'll ever be known for is being Harry's twin. Of course it won't be easy.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger &amp; Harry Potter &amp; Ron Weasley, OC/OC</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Japonica kerria is a marigold bush that is native to Japan, which is where I got the name Kerria from.</p><p>The title is borrowed from a song lyric in Slipknot's song, My Plague.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>"<em>I don't mind being ogled, ridiculed,</em><br/><em>Made to feel minuscule.</em><br/><em>If you consider the source, it's kinda pitiful.</em><br/><em>The only thing you really know about me is…</em><br/><em>That's all you'll ever know!</em>"</p>
  <p>My Plague – Slipknot</p>
</blockquote><p>"Lily!" called James Potter.</p><p>        Lily was watching the rain fall. It was Hallowe'en, something that her daughter, Kerria, seemed to enjoy, despite her being one-year-old and to young to understand. She wondered how Kerria would take to Christmas.</p><p>        "Lily!" James called again. This time there was the sound of a baby crying.</p><p>        Lily turned around to see Kerria reaching out for James and crying. James was trying to hold the wailing baby at arms length. "What happened?"</p><p>        "Kerria won't stop clinging to me," said James. "She's accidentally knocking my glasses off."</p><p>        He held Kerria closer to him and she wrapped her arms around his neck, accidentally head-butting James's glasses loose again.</p><p>        "She really loves you," said Lily.</p><p>        "I don't think that's it," replied James. He managed to unhook Kerria's arms and held her out again, causing her to cry again.</p><p>        Harry came over, dragging a black stuffed dog by its tail, and held it out to Kerria. Somehow the dog swung over and smacked Kerria in the head, causing her to cry again.</p><p>        Lily walked over and took Kerria from James. She held Kerria close and Kerria clung to her mother's neck. She managed to calm down.</p><p>        "I think she's tired," said Lily. "She hasn't been sleeping well lately."</p><p>        It was rather odd, considering that Kerria normally slept through the night, except for the week, Kerria had been waking up screaming and crying. Lily was sure that if she wasn't in hiding from Voldmort, she would send out owls to see if it was normal for babies to have nightmare spells like that. Harry didn't seem to have nightmares that were constant.</p><p>        James nodded, "I know."</p><p>        "I think it's time for Kerry to have a bath and I'll put her to bed. You're putting Harry to sleep," said Lily. She looked and noticed that Harry had fallen asleep on the ground.</p><p>        "I guess Kerry's nightmares have kept him up, too," joked James. He gently picked up Harry and went to take him to Harry's crib upstairs.</p><p>        Lily went to the bathroom to run Kerria a bath. She poured in some rose bubble bath in the tub and took off Kerria's pumpkin costume, leaving the baby looking disgruntled at what happened. Kerria's eyes were red-rimmed from crying and lack of sleep.</p><p>        "Don't look at me like that, Kerry," Lily gently reprimanded as she picked up Kerria and stuck in the bath.</p><p>        Kerria babbled something at Lily that sounded like Kerria chewing her mother out in baby.</p><p>        "Don't talk to me like that young lady," Lily joked back and Kerria babbled back at her. "Hey, watch the language!"</p><p>        Kerria babbled back, looking up at her with emerald green eyes.</p><p>        "Are you seriously arguing with a one-year-old?" asked James.</p><p>        "You hadn't heard the mouth on your daughter," Lily joked. "What have you been saying around them?"</p><p>        James laughed and shook his head. "The only thing I've been saying around them is how much of a good mother you are."</p><p>        Lily rolled her eyes and jumped back slightly when Kerria splashed the water, apparently upset at not getting any attention.</p><p>        "I got Kerry's pyjamas," said James. He set a diaper and a black sleeper with small white stars on the counter.</p><p>        "Can you get me a towel for Kerry?" asked Lily.</p><p>        James went and came back with a towel. Lily drained the water as James picked up Kerria with it.</p><p>        "Hey, Kerry Jamie…" joked James as he started drying Kerria.</p><p>        "Her middle name is Siria, James," responded Lily as she dried her hands on a hand-towel.</p><p>        "I know that, Lily," replied James. "I was just trying to make a joke."</p><p>        "Getting your daughter's middle name wrong is not funny," said Lily.</p><p>        "I'll wait for you downstairs," said James. He kissed Kerria on the cheek, "Good night, Kerry. You better sleep through the night."</p><p>        Kerria stared with wide green eyes. For a moment, James paused, looking right into them. Her eyes always seemed to hold some sort of secret. They were mesmerizing in a way, like she was daring them to unlock her secrets. He wondered what secrets can a one-year-old hold.</p><p>        She was staring back, like she was trying to tell him something and like she was looking at him, like it was the…</p><p>        "Please, don't look at me like that, Kerry," said James jokingly. "I'm still here, aren't I?" Kerria looked at James as Lily dressed her in her onesie. "And I'll be here tomorrow and forever. I promise."</p><p>        Kerria stared back and James left.</p><p>        Lily took Kerria upstairs and rocked Kerria to sleep. She put Kerria in her crib and went downstairs to where James was.</p><p>        "I can't wait 'til this war is over," said Lily.</p><p>        "I can't wait 'til Kerry's night terrors are over," said James. "I just wonder what is that she's dreaming of."</p><p>        As if on cue, Kerria started screaming in her sleep.</p><p>        James groaned.</p><p>        "You jinxed it," Lily responded and went upstairs to tend to Kerria.</p><p>        She took Kerria out of her crib when she heard James yelling, "Lily! It's him! Take Harry and Kerry and run! Go! I'll hold him off!"</p><p>        Lily realised she didn't have her wand on her. So she set Kerria in Harry's crib, perhaps a little too roughly, but Kerria seemed to have quieted down remarkably quickly.</p><p>        Harry had woken up, because of Kerria's screaming and was now watching Lily through the bars in the crib.</p><p>        Lily had tried to barricade the door; desperately hoping that it would hold off Voldemort. She looked at her children, both way to young to be going through this. For Harry…it was a terrible fate for someone to go through. Maybe if she pleaded…he'll let her twins live.</p><p>        "Harry, Kerry, please be safe and be strong," Lily pleaded.</p><p>        The door and barricade was blasted away and Voldemort was standing there in the doorway, a terrible smile on his face.</p><p>        "Not my twins!" pleaded Lily. "Please not Harry or Kerry! Please spare them!"</p><p>        "Stand aside you silly girl!" ordered Voldemort in a cold tone.</p><p>        "Please, take me instead of them!" pleaded Lily once more. "Leave my children alone!"</p><p>        "This is my last warning…" Voldemort said.</p><p>        "Have mercy—please have mercy!" cried Lily.</p><p>        "I said step aside!" ordered Voldemort and drew his wand. He aimed it right at Kerria and Lily did the one thing she could do and threw herself right in front of the crib, as green light hit her. Her body hit the ground with a loud thud and Kerria started crying.</p><p>        Voldemort walked over to the crib and examined the babies. Harry was staring up at Voldemort.</p><p>        The girl, what was her name again? Kerry managed to pull herself together and looked up at Voldemort.</p><p>        He knew that the boy was the one that was going to bring his downfall. He reached down and picked up the girl, keeping her away from him at arms-length. She was staring at Voldemort with interest now. Her eyes held a certain amount of intelligence…intelligence that her parents surely held…if only they were intelligent enough to keep their wands on them.</p><p>        It would be a shame to kill her. She posed no threat, but in a way, maybe he should let the girl live…he would like to see if she would turn into a worthy opponent. Maybe he could let the girl live. If she finds out what he did to her family and her twin brother…if he let her live, she would definitely come after him, searching, demanding for answers. Maybe they'll duel…and he would kill her. But how would he know who she is?</p><p>        The prophecy had said something about marking the boy as an equal…maybe he'll mark her instead if, no, <em>when</em>, she hears about the prophecy.</p><p>        He set the girl down in the crib. She grabbed the top of the bars and brought herself to her feet, a feat that her parents would surely love to see, if they had lived.</p><p>        Maybe he could have his faithful servant, the one who had finally brought him to the self-righteous Potters, raise the girl. Yes, he wanted to see the shock on her face when she finds out what had happened to her family. Then again, maybe Dumbledore could drop her off on of his followers so they could feed the hatred towards him and train her to be a solider of sorts.</p><p>        He drew his wand and pressed the tip on the top part of the girl's neck. She looked agitated and Voldemort said the spell, causing a line to spread and he drew it down, curving it downwards making an S-shape, effectively branding her. He drew it downwards to reach the top of the girl's collarbone. Her skin started bleeding and she started wailing. She fell down onto her bottom and the boy was looking curiously at his sister as blood started staining her onesie.</p><p>        There, he had marked his <em>true</em> equal.</p><p>        He looked at the boy, who was looking back at him.</p><p>        Voldemort drew his wand and pointed it at the boy's face. He said the spell and there was a sharp shock going through his body. No…no…he felt drained of energy and he felt pain all over as it seemed like his body was ripped apart.</p><p>        <em>No</em>, was his last thought before everything went dark.</p><p>        The rain kept falling and Kerria kept screaming and crying.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Zoo</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Birthdays were supposed to be happy affairs, but to Harry and Kerria Potter, it was the exact opposite when it concerned their cousin, Dudley Dursley’s birthday.</p><p>        When the Dursleys celebrated their oh-so precious son's birthday, the Potter twins were dropped off on Mrs Figg’s home on Wisteria Walk. Her house always smelled of boiled cabbage and she made them look at pictures of cats she had previously owned.</p><p>        Today was going to be no different, Kerria knew, as she bitterly helped her aunt fuss with Dudley’s presents.</p><p>        Her aunt and uncle didn’t bother with Kerria’s and Harry’s birthday, because they’d rather pretend that it didn’t exist. However, that didn’t stop them from giving the twins rubbish.</p><p>        Kerria’s favourite ‘gift’ so far was a pair of socks that was riddled with holes so bad, Kerria actually wondered how they were still in tact.</p><p>        She understood why Dudley needed thirty-six presents; it was because the Dursleys wanted to rub in the fact that Dudley was their whole world while the Potter twins were the dark stains in their pristine household that can't be removed.</p><p>        “Watch where you're going, girl!” snapped Aunt Petunia.</p><p>        Kerria almost tripped over her cot. She didn’t have time to put it up, because Aunt Petunia had woken her up to help set up Dudley’s massive amount of presents.</p><p>        “Sorry, Aunt Petunia,” replied Kerria looking at her aunt. She was glad that she and Harry didn’t resemble their boney aunt. Their aunt had a horse-like face and a long neck which she gladly used to look over their neighbour’s fence to spy on them.</p><p>        “Don’t break anything or you’ll be locked in the cupboard with your brother ‘til you both come of age,” threatened Aunt Petunia.</p><p>        “Sorry, Aunt Petunia,” replied Kerria again. She knew that there was no way the both of them could ever fit in the cupboard, despite them being small and skinny for their age. The cupboard sure wasn’t big enough for Harry.</p><p>        She placed the presents on the kitchen table and hurried outside to get the last few presents to bring in. When she came back in the kitchen, Aunt Petunia took the presents and ordered Kerria to start on Dudley’s birthday breakfast. Kerria took out a carton of eggs and a package of bacon and looked back to see Aunt Petunia fussing with Dudley’s presents.</p><p>        Kerria looked at the coffee pot and saw that it was empty. “Shoot, I need to start the coffee for Uncle Vernon.”</p><p>        “I got it, girl. Just get cooking,” said Aunt Petunia. “Dudley will be up any minute.”</p><p>        Kerria cracked open a few eggs and made sure not to get any egg shell in the mixture.</p><p>        “Up! Get up! Now!” demanded Aunt Petunia as she rapped on the cupboard door. “Up!” She walked back in the kitchen and placed a frying pan on the stove. She went back into the kitchen and put the frying pan on the stove, before she went back into the hallway.</p><p>        “Are you up yet?” demanded Aunt Petunia. “Well, get a move on. I want you to look after the bacon and don’t you dare let your sister burn it again. I want everything to be perfect of Duddy’s special day.” There was a response. “What was that?” There was another response.</p><p>        Aunt Petunia walked back in the kitchen and scowled at Kerria. She muttered, “At least you’re not reading one of your murder books.”</p><p>        “I find it fascinated to see what drives people to kill,” responded Kerria. “And the victims should be talked about.”</p><p>        Aunt Petunia just looked disgusted instead. She never approved of Kerria’s love of true crime because she thought it was unladylike for a woman or girl to read about such horrible acts.</p><p>        Uncle Vernon walked in with his newspaper. He looked at Kerria, “Brush your hair, girl!”</p><p>        “Good morning to you, too,” greeted Kerria as she rolled her eyes. It wasn’t her fault that her armpit-length black hair was tangled. She didn’t exactly own a brush. She was saving up her money she got from doing chores for their neighbours to get one.</p><p>        Uncle Vernon ignored Kerria, which wasn’t anything new, since he always ignored his niece and nephew.</p><p>        “Wake up, Potters! We're going to the zoo!” shouted Dudley and started laughing. He ran in.</p><p>        Dudley and Uncle Vernon resembled each other, because they had blond hair, a large, pink face, not much neck and small, watery blue eyes.</p><p>        Aunt Petunia smiled brightly at her son and happily said, “Oh, here he comes, the birthday boy.” She covered Dudley's eyes and directed him to the table where his presents were located. Kerria was sure that Dudley didn’t need any help locating them since he could probably smell them.</p><p>        Harry walked in holding a book. He had messy black hair like Kerria and green eyes too. He had a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead, above his right eye. Kerria had a strange S-shaped scar on the left side of her neck that started underneath her jaw and went down to her collar bone. She tried hiding the scar with her hair that was in pigtails or braids.</p><p>        When Harry was old enough to start asking questions, he asked how they got the scars.</p><p>        “In the car accident that killed your parents,” Aunt Petunia had responded in a clipped tone. “And don’t ask questions.”</p><p>        One of the Golden Rules to living a semi-peaceful life with the Dursleys was: <em>Don’t ask questions.</em> Another Golden Rule was: <em>when one Potter is in trouble, the other one is too.</em></p><p>          “You forgot your book, Kerry,” said Harry handing Kerria a hard-cover book.</p><p>        "Thank you," said Kerria. Before she could open the book to continue reading it, Aunt Petunia took it from her. Kerria glared at her aunt, “Give that back! I'm not done reading it!”</p><p>        Aunt Petunia looked distastefully at the cover. She read, “<em>Brady and Hindley: Genesis of the Moors Murders</em>?”</p><p>        “Throw it in the trash, Petunia,” said Uncle Vernon gruffly. “We don't need that rubbish filling the girl's mind. She might get…ideas.” He side-eyed Kerria as he spoke.</p><p>        Aunt Petunia made to throw the book in the bin, but she looked at the book, and seemed to change her mind at the last second, because she set it on top of the refrigerator.</p><p>        Kerria felt her shoulders sag in relief. It was a new book that her teacher at school had handed her. Her teacher claimed that she had bought it a few years ago and didn’t like it, and gave it to Kerria. Kerria knew that it was actually new because of how the pages looked clean and the binding showed it hadn't been opened yet.</p><p>        “One of you two, bring me my coffee,” ordered Uncle Vernon as Aunt Petunia led Dudley to where his presents were.</p><p>        “Yes, Uncle Vernon,” the twins said at the same time. Harry went to pour the coffee.</p><p>        “How many are there?” demanded Dudley looking at his presents.</p><p>        “Thirty-six,” said Uncle Vernon proudly. "Counted 'em myself." Kerria started eating her breakfast and watched as the scene unfolded before her eyes.</p><p>        "Thirty-six?" yelled Dudley as his face rapidly turned red. "But last year I had thirty-seven!"</p><p>        Uncle Vernon looked stricken as he spoke, "Err, yes, well, some of them are a bit bigger than last year's…”</p><p>        "I don't care how big they are!" shouted Dudley.</p><p>        Petunia obviously scented danger. She tried to calm her son down, "Oh, now, now, now. This is what we're going to do, is that when we go out, we're going to buy you two new presents! How's that, popkin? Two more presents?"</p><p>        Dudley seemed to calm down, "How many will that be?"</p><p>        "Thirty-nine," said Kerria, finishing up eating her breakfast. She took Harry's empty plate. "I'll get started on the dishes, since Mrs Figg's going to call."</p><p>        Harry nodded. He was used to Kerria’s habit of guessing things that happened to come true.</p><p>        "Mum! Dad! The freak is at it again!" shrieked Dudley pretending to tremble as he unwrapped a computer game.</p><p>        "Girl, knock it off, before I lock you in the shed 'til you're thirty," ordered Uncle Vernon, glaring at Kerria.</p><p>        Kerria had read about the French woman, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blanche_Monnier">Blanche Monnier</a>, who had been kept captive in her mother's attic for twenty-five years. Kerria nodded, not wanting to end up like poor Blanche, "Yes, sir.” She looked at Dudley and spoke through gritted teeth, “Sorry Dudley."</p><p>        Dudley ignored her as he continued to open up his presents.</p><p>        "Is Mrs Figg really going to call?" Harry whispered to Kerria as she turned the sink faucet on.</p><p>        Kerria nodded and whispered back, "Yes." She was adding washing-up liquid to the water.</p><p>        The phone rang and Aunt Petunia gave a glare at Kerria before she went to answer the phone.</p><p>        "Are you going to bring your book with you when we go to Mrs Figg’s?" asked Harry.</p><p>        Kerria looked at her book on top of the fridge, "If I can get it."</p><p>        "You will," replied Harry.</p><p>        It was one of the times that Kerria enjoyed being ignored. She can discuss things with Harry out in the open, while the rest of her family ignored them.</p><p>        Aunt Petunia walked in, looking mad.</p><p>        "Bad news, Vernon," said Aunt Petunia. "Mrs Figg has broken her leg and she can't <em>them.</em>"</p><p>        She jerked her head in the twins' direction, as if they had ganged up on her and broke her leg on purpose.</p><p>        "We didn't do anything," replied Kerria.</p><p>        It went ignored, which wasn't anything surprising.</p><p>        Harry nudged Kerria and gave her a warning look as if he was trying to say, 'Don't blow it.'</p><p>        Kerria nodded in agreement. With luck, they could stay home together. She would watch Harry while Harry would watch her. It made sense in Kerria’s mind.</p><p>        "Now what should we do with them?" asked Aunt Petunia.</p><p>        "We could phone Marge," suggested Uncle Vernon.</p><p>        "She hates them," said Aunt Petunia.</p><p>        Kerria hated Aunt Marge too.</p><p>        "What about what's-her-name, you friend–Yvonne?" suggested Uncle Vernon, obviously grasping at straws now. There was no way that they would allow the twins to intrude on their son's special day, so of course they would try to drop then off on someone.</p><p>        "On holiday in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia, sounding insulted at the thought of her friend having to put up with the twins.</p><p>        "She has friends?" Kerria whispered to Harry.</p><p>        Harry shrugged and whispered back, "Apparently."</p><p>        Kerria frowned, "Since when did she have friends?"</p><p>        Harry shrugged once again, "I don't know."</p><p>        Kerria hadn't seen any of her aunt's friends, but maybe that was because she didn't want her friends to see that there were two extra children in the house. There weren't any pictures of the twins on the mantelpiece among the many pictures of Dudley. It was as if the twins didn't exist in the household. It was just the way the Dursleys wanted it.</p><p>        Kerria knew that the Dursleys would've preferred it if the twins hadn't been dumped on their doorstep, but who said that life was fair? Life wasn't fair to the twins when it came to living with the Dursleys.</p><p>        "I suppose we could take them to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, "…and leave them in the car…"</p><p>        "Leaving unattended children in the car is not a good idea," Kerria said.</p><p>        "I agree with the girl," said Uncle Vernon, shocking the rest of the family. "The car's new and they'll just destroy it."</p><p>        Kerria huffed instead. She had read too many articles and books on what happened to children that were left unattended.</p><p>        "How about you leave us here?" suggested Harry weakly.</p><p>        "And come back to find the house destroyed?" snapped Aunt Petunia.</p><p>        "How much damage do you think we're capable of creating?" Kerria snapped at her aunt.</p><p>        Aunt Petunia ignored Kerria.</p><p>        Kerria went to answer the door. She opened the door right before Piers's mother could knock on the door.</p><p>        Piers's mother looked surprised, “Oh, hi.”</p><p>        "Hello, Mrs Polkiss," greeted Kerria warmly, keeping her eyes on Piers's mother. "They're in the dining room.” She cringed as Dudley started wailing, apparently being told that the Dursleys didn’t know who to drop the twins off on.</p><p>        Mrs Polkiss smile faltered at the sound but she continued smiling at Kerria. “Thank you, Kerria.”</p><p>        Kerria stepped to the side to allow Mrs Polkiss and Piers inside. Mrs Polkiss went ahead of Piers, which Piers used to elbow Kerria in her side and hissed, “Witch” at her.</p><p>        Kerria flinched at the insult as Piers went into the kitchen. The word ‘witch’ and ‘freak’ brought a lot of bad memories for her. Everyone at school called her ‘witch’ and ‘freak’ at her cousin’s insistence. However, one incident in the girls’ toilet brought up the most painful memories of all. Dudley enjoyed bullying his cousins; he enjoyed bullying Kerria more because he enjoyed how mad Harry got over it.</p><p>        Mrs Polkiss left and Harry left the kitchen.</p><p>        “Are you okay?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “I’m fine,” replied Kerria. “Why?”</p><p>        “He came in and you didn’t. I thought he did something to you,” responded Harry.</p><p>        Piers was the one that held people’s arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them. Piers also had no problem hitting females when teachers weren’t looking. When they were younger, they were taught to not hit girls. However, Piers apparently didn’t get the memo and enjoyed hitting her. Kerria still wasn’t sure who she hated more; Piers or Dudley. Piers was a scrawny blond boy that resembled a rat.</p><p>        Dudley had found other ways around it by: pinching them, pulling their hair, or jabbing them with his fingers.</p><p>        Dudley had stopped crying when Piers entered the kitchen, which explained the silence.</p><p>        “I hate him,” said Kerria.</p><p>        “I hate them both,” said Harry.</p><p>        Kerria looked down at the kitchen door. “I wish I could’ve grabbed my book.”</p><p>        “And be punished for three weeks?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “At least I’ll have something to read while we wait for their verdict,” replied Kerria. She went to the cupboard under the stairs and opened the door. She walked in and tugged on the string to turn the light bulb on. She looked around the cupboard and looked past the cots that were their beds.</p><p>        She found her brown messenger bag on a shelf. She undid the straps that kept it closed and looked in it. She had gotten it when she started school, but amazingly it was still intact, despite it being second-hand. However, she wouldn’t mind getting a newer messenger bag, so that was another thing she had to save up for.</p><p>        She took some notes that she had gotten for doing chores for the neighbours. It was one way she could get away from the Dursleys and stay out of their house, which is something that they like. It was a win-win situation. Maybe she could get a souvenir from the zoo.</p><p>        She frowned. They were going to the zoo? She looked at Harry, who was watching her.</p><p>        “We’re going to the zoo,” she said. She looked at the shelves and grabbed <em>Somebody’s Husband, Somebody’s Son</em> by Gordon Burn. She was surprised that her aunt and uncle hadn’t raided the cupboard and threw out her books yet. She should probably hide them before that happened.</p><p>        They sat on the couch together to wait for the verdict. Where would they go?</p><p>        About thirty minutes later, Dudley and Piers went outside. Piers, taking the time out of doing so, stopped to flick Kerria behind her ear, and Dudley decided to pull on her hair as well. Aunt Petunia followed after the two boys, while Uncle Vernon came out of the kitchen.</p><p>        He stood in front of the twins. After the door closed, Uncle Vernon glared.</p><p>        “I’m warning you both, now,” he said gruffly. “I’m warning you two. Any funny business, anything at all at the zoo – and you’ll both be in that cupboard from now until Christmas.”</p><p>        Harry nodded, “We’re not going to do anything…honestly.”</p><p>        Uncle Vernon ignored him and glared at Kerria. “And you, girl…if any of us hear you babbling about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Mark_Tildesley">Mark Tildesley</a> or about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Sutcliffe">Peter Sutcliff</a> to anyone, your books are going in the rubbish bin where they belong. You hear me, girl?”</p><p>        Kerria nodded, looking down, “Yes, sir.”</p><p>        “Get going,” Uncle Vernon said gruffly glaring at the twins.</p><p>        The twins went outside and to the car. They had to crawl into the backseat and if Kerria ‘accidentally’ hit Piers with her messenger bag, well she wasn’t complaining.</p><p>        Uncle Vernon started up the car and backed out of the driveway.</p><p>        Kerria took out her book and opened it up to read.</p><hr/><p>When they reached the zoo, Dudley got out of the car, with Piers following him. Piers slammed the door right in Kerria’s face and Harry glared as Piers and Dudley laughed about what Piers had done.</p><p>        Kerria rolled her eyes.</p><p>        Dudley was a big bully but Kerria knew firsthand how cruel some girls can be.</p><p>        “He better watch his back,” muttered Harry as they got out of the car.</p><p>        “What are you going to do about it?” asked Kerria. “We’re just going to get grounded ‘til we’re forty.”</p><p>        “I don’t know, but I’ll think of something,” said Harry.</p><p>        “Good luck with that,” replied Kerria. They ran to the ice-cream van where Dudley was pushing other families out of the way.</p><p>        They managed to catch up when Dudely yelled, “I want a large ice-cream!”</p><p>        “We’ll have two large chocolate ice-creams,” replied Uncle Vernon in his most pleasant voice.</p><p>        “I want a strawberry ice-cream,” said Kerria.</p><p>        “What she means is that she’ll take a lemon ice lolly,” said Uncle Vernon. Kerria cleared her throat. Uncle Vernon added gruffly, “And her brother will take one too.”</p><p>        The ice-cream lady gave out the ice-creams, which made Dudley and Piers slurp them right in the twins’ faces.</p><p>        Kerria glanced at the lady, who was looking at her and Harry with pity.</p><p>        They started walking to the entrance of the zoo. It was crowded by families and Kerria felt jealous at seeing happy whole families. Why did her parents have to die? Did she and Harry really deserve to be miserable?</p><p>       <em> Did our parents try to kill us?</em> Kerria thought and tried shoving that terrible thought aside. She knew that parents can and did do terrible things to their children. Blanche Monnier, again, came to mind.</p><p>        Kerria tried to eat her lemon ice lolly but threw it away when she couldn’t stand the taste. She stood beside Harry as they looked at the gorilla exhibit.</p><p>        “You know, that looks like Dudley,” whispered Harry.</p><p>        “To bad it isn’t blond,” whispered Kerria.</p><p>        They started laughing and Piers shoved the both of them from behind. “Stop laughing at your own jokes, freaks.”</p><p>        Kerria glared at Piers’s retreating form.</p><p>        “I just don’t get why he treats you like rubbish,” said Harry angrily.</p><p>        “He’s mad that I ‘jinxed’ his dog dying,” muttered Kerria as they started walking to whatever exhibit that Dudley wanted to see. The twins stayed a bit behind them so that Dudley and Piers won’t decide to bully them.</p><p>        Kerria remembered telling Piers that his dog was going to die and a week later, it happened. Piers hated her even more than ever after that, calling her a witch and freak. Apparently people, besides Harry, didn’t appreciate people knowing things before they happened. So she got labeled as a witch and a freak. Of course, the strange things that happened to her, added fuel to the labeling.</p><p>        For some reason, when a girl was making fun of Kerria’s name, that girl’s hair changed colour, and a different girl’s nose grew bigger because that girl shoved Kerria into a wall, and from some reason a bird flew out of a shrub and attacked a group of girls who were making fun of Kerria’s second-hand uniforms. Of course those things were impossible, but since Kerria was always nearby when strange things happened, she was blamed for it; by her classmates and the Dursleys.</p><p>        “When we come of age, we’ll leave and never look back,” said Harry.</p><p>        Kerria nodded, “I know.” A few times, she had considered running away with Harry, but she knew that they wouldn’t be able to survive on their own out on the streets. If they didn’t die early, they would be swept up by police officers and either dragged back to the Dursleys or dropped in some kind of detention centre or in foster care. If they got dragged back to the Dursleys, they would never accept them back, eager to finally get rid of them.</p><p>        They walked in silence until Dudley declared that he was hungry and they went to the food court. The twins got the cheapest thing on the menu. After lunch, Dudley declared that he wanted a knickerbocker glory and Uncle Vernon went to order it. When he brought it to Dudley, Dudley had a fit because it wasn’t big enough. After asking Piers, who said no, Uncle Vernon passed the ice-cream to the twins, shocking them.</p><p>        After splitting it, Kerria began feeling like something about their day was going to go wrong. It was just their luck that when they were having a great day, things had to go bad.</p><p>        It happened in the reptile house, which was where they wanted to go after eating.</p><p>        There were exhibits along the walls, with snakes and lizards slithering or crawling along bits of stone and wood.</p><p>        It wasn't a surprise that Dudley found the largest snake.</p><p>        It looked to be sleeping, not that Kerria blamed it. It would be boring staying in an exhibit and being stared at by a bunch of strangers.</p><p>        Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass. Kerria nudged Harry and mimicked Dudley’s stance, making Harry snicker.</p><p>        “Make it move,” demanded Dudley.</p><p>        Uncle Vernon knocked on the glass and ordered, “Move.”</p><p>        The snake continued sleeping.</p><p>        Dudley knocked on the glass and yelled, “Move!”</p><p>        “It’s sleeping,” said Kerria.</p><p>        Dudley said, “It’s boring, that’s what it is.”</p><p>        “You’re the one who wanted to see the snakes,” Kerria pointed out.</p><p>        Dudley and Piers glared at Kerria and moved on, leaving the twins at the boa constrictor exhibit.</p><p>        “I’m going to look at some lizards,” said Kerria, before she went to the lizard exhibit. She stared at one lizard that probably died standing up because it wasn’t moving. She scratched at the S-scar on her neck as she looked at the lizards. Other lizards were crawling around the presumably dead lizard.</p><p>        There was screams and Kerria looked behind her quickly. Dudley was in the exhibit and Piers was running.</p><p>        “Snake!” someone yelled.</p><p>        Aunt Petunia ran over to the exhibit and Kerria noticed the boa constrictor. She took off to the exit, but someone grabbed at one of her braids. Kerria screamed and turned around. It was her uncle and she screamed more loudly in horror. Uncle Vernon glared at her and Kerria quieted down. Uncle Vernon grabbed her upper arm and dragged her over to the boa constrictor exhibit.</p><p>        The reptile house keeper kept saying, “But where did the glass go?” Uncle Vernon grabbed Harry by his shirt collar and hauled him up, dragging Kerria around while at it.</p><p>        After getting Dudley out of the tank, they went to the office where the director gave the adults strong sweet tea, while he gave the children biscuits, but Dudley and Piers were the ones that ate them. The Dursleys and Piers were the ones that took the chairs too.</p><p>        They were offered year-round passes, but Kerria knew that she and Harry will never return. She was sure that Harry had something to do with it.</p><hr/><p>Uncle Vernon was silent on the way home. After Piers left the car, Uncle Vernon started sputtering incoherently.</p><p>        Aunt Petunia held Dudley as they went inside the house. Uncle Vernon hauled Kerria out by her upper arm and hauled Harry out by his shirt collar. He dragged them inside the house, closed the door, and pressed the both of them up against the banister of the stairs.</p><p>        “I demand you both tell me what happened,” ordered Uncle Vernon.</p><p>        “I don’t know what happened,” said Kerria. “I was by the lizards!”</p><p>        “I swear I don’t know!” exclaimed Harry. Uncle Vernon snarled at them. “One minute the glass was there and the next it was gone! It was like magic!”</p><p>        Uncle Vernon dragged them to the cupboard, opened it, and shoved Kerria in first, then shoved Harry in after her. Harry was pushed into Kerria and the both of them nearly fell on the cot that was Harry’s bed. </p><p>        Uncle Vernon locked the cupboard and through the grate, he snarled, “There’s no such thing as magic.” He closed the grate on them leaving in darkness.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Letters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I will admit, I got the idea of going to Mrs Figg from StellaStarMagic’s fic, A Different Perspective, because I couldn’t figure out how they would get in contact with the magic world since they don’t have owls. Then I realized, of course, going to Mrs Figg would be logical since she’s a Squib and she was keeping in contact with Dumbledore this whole time.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Harry was kept in the cupboard and Kerria was kept in the shed as part of their ‘grounded’. Aunt Petunia did return the book that she took from Kerria.</p><p>        Kerria was only let out a few times to go do some housework for their neighbours.</p><p>        When she was pulling weeds out of a garden at No. 6, Dudley and Piers took turns trying to hit her with the remote control aeroplane, chanting something stupid like, “hit the witch! Hit the witch!” Kerria finally had enough and smashed it with her foot while glaring at them and yelled, “Your heads will be next!”</p><p>        Luckily they didn’t push their luck after that.</p><p>        Once was watering some shrubs for a neighbour and had watched Dudley knock Mrs Figg over when she was trying to cross Privet Drive on her crutches. Kerria had to run over and help the poor woman up. Mrs Figg started up a conversation with Kerria after that. Apparently she had tripped over one of her cats, which made her not like them as much.</p><p>        One neighbour had bought biscuits and gave Kerria some. She kept them in her messenger bag and split them with Harry in his cupboard.</p><p>        When the summer holidays started, they kept out of the house by going to that park that was at Magnolia Crescent, since Dudley’s friends, Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon came by every day.</p><p>       They sat on the swings.</p><p>        “Do you think I’m a freak or a-a w-witch?” asked Kerria cringing at the word she used..</p><p>        Harry shook his head, “No.”</p><p>        “Not even with those weird incidents and my freaky way of knowing things before they happen?” asked Kerria.</p><p>        “Not even then. That just makes you special,” said Harry. “I have weird incidents too; the recent being the boa constrictor.”</p><p>        Kerria sniggered at that. She really wished she was there to witness the pig in a wig fall into the tank.</p><p>        “Is anything interesting going to happen?” asked Harry.</p><p>        Kerria shrugged, “I’m not sure yet.”</p><p>        Sometimes she got dreams that were usually murky which got clearer the closer it was going to happen.</p><p>        “The upside, I know that Dudley is going to a different school,” said Kerria brightly. “We might be able to make a friend or two at Stonewall.”</p><p>        Harry nodded, “Hopefully. Let's hope that your freakishness doesn’t scare them off.”</p><p>        Kerria smacked him on the arm as Harry laughed.</p><p>        They sat on the swings while Kerria started pushing her swing back and forth.</p><p>        “Maybe you can threaten them,” said Harry.</p><p>        “I don’t think threatening people to be our friends will be great,” said Kerria.</p><p>        “I meant threaten the Dursleys,” said Harry. “I kind of want Dudley’s storage room.”</p><p>        Dudley had a second bedroom that was basically where Dudley’s toys went to die when he got bored of them or broke them.</p><p>        “Okay, I’ll see what I can do,” said Kerria. “I guarantee <em>nothing</em>.”</p><p>        She really didn’t like the idea of threatening the Dursleys, especially with the fact that they would likely haul them off to a detention centre for threatening them; especially with their freakishness. But…Uncle Vernon was terrified of her getting ideas…hopefully it would work.</p><hr/><p>It was in the evening when Harry dragged Kerria out of the cupboard into the sitting room where Uncle Vernon was at. Luckily Dudley was at a friend’s house.</p><p>        Harry cleared his throat and Uncle Vernon glared at them. “What do you both want?”</p><p>        “Kerry and I were discussing it and we decided that we want Dudley’s st – er – second bedroom,” said Harry.</p><p>        Aunt Petunia scoffed, “And why do you think we’ll give it to you both?”</p><p>        Harry nudged Kerria.</p><p>        Kerria cleared her throat and tried to ignore how fast her heart was beating. “If you don’t, I can burn this entire house down and make it look like an accident.”</p><p>        Uncle Vernon was instantly on edge. “And how will you do that?”</p><p>        “Well, let me just go oil up a rag and accidentally leave it on a burner,” said Kerria. “Maybe go and mess with something electrical. Ooh. Maybe I can be able to get my hands on some cyanide. You know, even a little amount can be lethal.”</p><p>        Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia looked at each other in horror.</p><hr/><p>Kerria was in shock when they agreed to let them take Dudley’s room. They had to use their cots as a bed, but at least it was a room.</p><p>        It was a room!</p><p>        Dudley was angry and had a huge tantrum over it, but his parents didn’t give him the room back.</p><p>        Harry was gleeful over it. “I knew that it would work. Thank you for having an interest in murder.”</p><p>        “It’s not about the murders, Harry,” said Kerria. “It’s more about the psychological aspect of it. How can two people from the same background have different moral compasses? How can one be an upstanding citizen and the other person turn into a serial killer? How can a person from a good background turn into a killer?”</p><p>        Harry stared at her and shrugged. Apparently that was good enough for him.</p><p>        The next day, Uncle Vernon had gotten them a white wooden bunk bed that had a ladder attached to it. Harry allowed Kerria to have the top bunk since she got them the room in the first place.</p><hr/><p>One day in July, Aunt Petunia had to take Dudley and Kerria out to London for their uniforms. Kerria was getting a second-hand uniform for Stonewall High, where she and Harry were going.</p><p>        Dudley and Piers were going to Smeltings, which was Uncle Vernon’s former school.</p><p>        Harry had been dropped off at Mrs Figg’s home, which Kerria didn’t like, but she decided to get him some Mars Bars to make up for the horrible day he was going to have. She also got herself some Crunchies.</p><hr/><p>On July 24<sup>th</sup>, Dudley pranced about in the living room wearing his Smeltings uniform. He wore a maroon tailcoat, orange knickerbockers, and boaters, which was a flat straw hat. He also carried a knobbly stick that was apparently used to hit others when the teacher wasn’t looking.</p><p>        Aunt Petunia was taking pictures of him and Kerria knew that it was going to go on the mantle, where the other pictures of Dudley were at.</p><p>        Aunt Petunia was busy dyeing Dudley’s old uniform in a boiler in the kitchen, which was emitting a foul smell.</p><p>        They sat around while Uncle Vernon declared that seeing Dudley in his uniform was the proudest day of his life.</p><p>        “I’ll go get the post,” said Kerria getting up from her spot at the table. She purposely pushed back the chair, making it screech on the ground.</p><p>        “I’ll go with her,” said Harry.</p><p>        “For what?” asked Uncle Vernon. “To protect each other from letter bombs?”</p><p>        “People have died from letter bombs,” said Kerria as they went into the hallway.</p><p>        They went to the door and the post fell out of the mail slot.</p><p>        “It’s weird how you know things before they happen,” said Harry as he picked up the letters. There was a postcard from Aunt Marge, a bill, and a letter for him.</p><p>        “What is it?” asked Kerria curious. She noticed the strange envelope that was addressed to Harry.</p><p>
  <em>Mr H. Potter</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The Smallest Bedroom</em>
</p><p><em>4 Privet Drive<br/></em> <em>Little Whinging<br/></em> <em>Surrey</em></p><p>“Lucky,” muttered Kerria. She didn't have a library card so she couldn't go to the library and have them send her notes demanding for borrowed books to be turned.</p><p>Harry looked at the other envelope.</p><p>
  <em>Miss K. Potter</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The Smallest Bedroom</em>
</p><p><em>4 Privet Drive<br/></em> <em>Little Whinging<br/></em> <em>Surrey</em></p><p>Kerria took her letter and tossed it right into the cupboard, “They won’t let us have letters. Besides no one will ever write to us.” She went to take Harry’s from him but he held it out of her reach.</p><p>        “Harry,” said Kerria agitated, “They’re going to take the letter from you.”</p><p>        Harry sighed, “I don’t want to wait to read it.”</p><p>        “It’s your fault if they take it away and won’t let you read it,” replied Kerria, going back into the kitchen.</p><p>        “What’s taking your brother so long?” asked Uncle Vernon.</p><p>        Kerria shrugged and Harry walked in. He passed the letters to Uncle Vernon and passed by Kerria and sat down. His face was stony and impassive.</p><p>        Uncle Vernon was looking at the letters, “Marge is ill. She ate a funny whelk.”</p><p>        The other was apparently a bill and Aunt Petunia finally gave them breakfast, (Aunt Petunia didn’t trust Kerria to make food anymore after the cyanide threat), Kerria looked at the newspaper that Uncle Vernon picked up.</p><p>        “Does that contain updates about Mark Tildesley’s case?” asked Kerria.</p><p>        Uncle Vernon ignored her, which wasn’t anything new. Harry was busy wolfing down his meager breakfast before he finished and went into the hallway. Kerria ate her breakfast, took her book, and took off into the room that she shared with Harry. She knew that Harry grabbed a hold of her letter for her. Harry was sitting on the top bunk, before he passed the letter to Kerria as she joined him.</p><p>        She looked at the letter. On the back was a coat of arms that had a lion, eagle, badger, and snake. The seal contained a large letter H.</p><p>        She opened her letter.</p><p>        “Kerry, this has to be some kind of joke,” said Harry. “I-I’m a wizard? You’re a…witch?”</p><p>        Kerria flinched at the word, even though she knew that he didn't mean for it to be malicious and examined her letter:</p><p><strong>HOGWARTS</strong> <strong>SCHOOL</strong><strong> OF WITCHCRAFT</strong><br/><strong>AND WIZARDRY</strong></p><p><strong>Headmaster:</strong> Albus Dumbledore</p><p>
  <em>(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc.,</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump,</em>
  <br/>
  <em>International Confed. of Wizards)</em>
</p><p>
  <em>        Dear Miss Potter,</em>
</p><p><em>        We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts</em> <em>School</em><em> of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.</em><br/><em>Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.</em></p><p>
  <em>        Yours sincerely,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>        Minerva McGonagall</em>
  <br/>
  <em>        Deputy Headmistress</em>
</p><p>Kerria reread the letter a few more times. “Huh?”</p><p>“Look at this stuff,” said Harry. He chuckled, “Seriously A magic wand?”</p><p>“Hold on, let me look,” said Kerria. She took out another letter, which was the supplies list and read that:</p><p><strong>HOGWARTS</strong> <strong>SCHOOL</strong><strong> OF WITCHCRAFT</strong><br/><strong>AND WIZARDRY</strong></p><p>Uniform:</p><p>First-year students will require:</p><p>
  <em>1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)</em>
  <br/>
  <em>2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear</em>
  <br/>
  <em>3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)</em>
  <br/>
  <em>4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags</em>
</p><p>Set Books:</p><p>All students should have a copy of each of the following:</p><p><em>The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)</em> by Miranda Goshawk<br/><em>A History of Magic</em> by Bathlida Bagshot<br/><em>A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration</em> by Adalbert Waffling<br/><em>One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi</em> by Emeric Switch<br/><em>Magical Drafts and Potions</em> by Phyllida Spore<br/><em>Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them</em> by Newt Scamander<br/><em>The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection</em> by Quentin Trimble</p><p>Other Equipment:</p><p><em>1 Wand</em><br/><em>1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)</em><br/>1<em> set glass or crystal phials</em><br/><em>1 telescope</em><br/><em>1 set brass scales</em></p><p>
  <em>Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad<br/></em>
  <em>PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS</em>
</p><p>“Broomsticks?” repeated Kerria. She scratched at the scar on her neck, feeling the S-shape. “I don’t…one pointed hat?”</p><p>        “This doesn’t make any sense,” said Harry. “We can’t have…magic. Can we?”</p><p>        Kerria was frowning. “I-I don’t…it’s a possibility. Remember that really ugly jumper that shrunk every time Aunt Petunia was trying to put it on you?”</p><p>        Harry started, “Well, like she said. It could’ve shrunk in the wash.”</p><p>        “Seriously, Harry? It shrunk with every tug,” said Kerria. “Remember that teacher’s wig turning blue? How do you explain that? How about that one day Ripper somehow ended up in the backyard while it tried biting us?”</p><p>        “You’re taking this remarkably well,” said Harry.</p><p>        “There are plenty of reasons for you to be a wizard and for me being a w-witch,” said Kerria, cringing at the word.</p><p>        “Where are we supposed to buy this stuff? Did you see anything in London when you went with the pig-in-a-wig and Aunt Petunia?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “I didn’t see anything,” admitted Kerria. “I was to busy trying to think of what sweets to get you.” Kerria looked at her list, “Dragons?”</p><p>        “Where do you see that at?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “With the gloves,” explained Kerria, “‘<em>Dragon hide or similar</em>.’”</p><p>        Harry was looking at Kerria in disbelief. “I don’t…This has to be some kind of cruel joke.”</p><p>       "The Dursleys don’t have a sense of humour, you know that,” said Kerria. “This seems way to elaborate for a joke.” She rubbed her temples, feeling a headache forming. That was a sign that she was about to slide into a ‘daydream’ that seems to come true as well.</p><p>        “Kerry?” asked Harry concerned. “Are you going to slip into one of your daydreams again?” Kerria nodded. “I’ll go get you some tablets.”</p><p>        He got down and Kerria looked at the corner of a wall. She let the headache overtake her and she felt herself sliding out of focus as her vision blurred into something that looked like something like an outdoor market. It was more blurry to her than the others she had previously had.</p><p>        She was shaken out of her daydream and felt the headache grow into something like a migraine. She pushed her fingers into her eyes to try and dull the ache of a migraine.</p><p>        “Here, I got you some tablets and water,” said Harry.</p><p>        Kerria nodded, “Thank you.” She took the tablets and drank the water. It’ll take a few minutes before it would kick in.</p><p>        Harry asked, “Did you see anything?”</p><p>        “It was more like a blurry picture of what looked to be an outdoor market,” Kerria explained, rubbing her temples again.</p><p>        “How do we even get into contact with…who were they again?” asked Harry. He looked at a letter. “Albus Dumbledore or Minerva McGonagall?”</p><p>        Kerria brought her knees up and rested her head on them. She took a few deep breaths trying to calm the nausea that was building up.</p><p>        Harry was moving about and rustling the parchment, as if searching for a clue. “‘<em>We await your owl by no later than 31 July?</em>’ What does that even mean? Is that their version of carrier pigeons? How do we get an owl?”</p><p>        Kerria was thinking of all the adults that she knew: former teachers, neighbours, Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, Aunt Marge, and Mrs Figg. She was sure that her relatives knew something, but no…they would just deny it or make them stay home…but Mrs Figg? She had a feeling that Mrs Figg was the correct answer.</p><p>        The headache and nausea was subsiding.</p><p>        “Mrs Figg,” said Kerria.</p><p>        “What?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “Mrs Figg,” said Kerria. “She’s bound to know something about this.” She got down from the bunk and grabbed her messenger bag and the letters.</p><p>        “Why Mrs Figg?” questioned Harry.</p><p>        “That’s the name that I keep feeling is right,” said Kerria as she stuffed them in her messenger bag. “We can’t go to Aunt Petunia or Uncle Vernon. They’re out of the question. She’s our only lead.”</p><p>        “Okay,” said Harry. “I still don’t see why she would know anything.”</p><p>        He got off the bunk and they made their way out of their room and out of Number 4 without so much as a question as to where they were going.</p><hr/><p>Harry and Kerria hesitated when they got to Mrs Figg’s house. Surprisingly, it didn’t reek of boiled cabbage, so she wasn’t expecting them. One of Mrs Figg’s cats was in the window.</p><p>        “Who’s going to ring the doorbell?” asked Kerria.</p><p>        “It was your idea, you do it,” replied Harry.</p><p>        “Ugh, fine,” groaned Kerria and rang the doorbell.</p><p>        After a few seconds, Harry said, “Looks like nobody’s home.” He tried to run, but Kerria grabbed his collar.</p><p>        “She’s on crutches, you idiot,” hissed Kerria.</p><p>        They waited and the door opened. Mrs Figg looked surprised to see them, “Hello. I didn’t know I was going to watch you two today.”</p><p>        “It’s for a different matter, Mrs Figg,” said Kerria. She opened her messenger bag and took out a letter. She handed it to Mrs Figg who took. “I…had this feeling…”</p><p>        “That you might know something about it,” finished Harry.</p><p>        Mrs Figg looked at them and looked at Kerria.</p><p>        “Yes, as a matter of fact, I do,” said Mrs Figg. “Come on in you two.”</p><p>        They walked in and Mrs Figg had the twins sit on the couch.</p><p>        “How do you know?” asked Harry. “I mean about magic.”</p><p>        “Are you a w-witch?” asked Kerria, cringing at the word.</p><p>        “No,” said Mrs Figg. “I’m a Squib.”</p><p>        Kerria and Harry looked at each other. Harry asked, “A what?”</p><p>        “A Squib,” repeated Mrs Figg, “a non-magical person born into a family of magic.”</p><p>        Kerria felt sympathy for the woman.</p><p>        “I’m sure the reason you figured it out is because of Kerria’s ability of being a Seer,” said Mrs Figg.</p><p>        “A what?” asked Kerria.</p><p>        “A Seer,” explained Mrs Figg, “a person who can see the future.”</p><p>        Kerria frowned. “How did you know that I am?”</p><p>        “You told me a few things that happened before it did,” said Mrs Figg. “No more questions, I have to get in contact with someone.”</p><p>        She opened a jar on the mantle and took out a pinch of some powder and tossed in into the fireplace.</p><p>        Harry and Kerria jumped back when the fire turned green. Kerria and Harry looked at each other, bewildered.</p><p>        The green however reminded Kerria of the bright green light that came from the dreams she had.</p><p>        Mrs Figg bent down and—</p><p>        “Don’t do that!” yelled Kerria in horror, but Mrs Figg ignored her and stuck her head in it.</p><p>        There wasn’t anything horrible that Kerria imagined would happen. She looked at Harry who was staring with his mouth open. Harry managed to ask, “Did she just—”</p><p>        “Yeah,” replied Kerria pulling at one of her braids. “She did.”</p><p>        They looked at each other and Mrs Figg finally emerged from the fireplace, completely unharmed.</p><p>        “Professor McGonagall will be here shortly,” said Mrs Figg.</p><p>        “You knew who we were,” accused Harry. “We’ve been here many times and you never said anything to us.”</p><p>        Mrs Figg looked apologetic. “I’m sorry. I was told to keep an eye on you, but not say anything. It was Dumbledore’s orders.”</p><p>        “Dumbledore told you to keep an eye on us?” asked Harry. “Why?”</p><p>        “To make sure that everything is going okay with you both,” said Mrs Figg. “This is a lot earlier than I expected.”</p><p>        Kerria was staring at Mrs Figg and the green fire roared once more and a tall, stern looking woman emerged from the fireplace.</p><p>        The stern-looking woman looked at Kerria and Harry, “Ah, yes, Mr and Miss Potter, it’s nice to meet you.”</p><p>        Kerria looked at the woman, presumably Professor McGonagall. “Are you a w-witch?”</p><p>        Professor McGonagall nodded, “Yes, I am. I am also a professor at Hogwarts.”</p><p>        “What class do you teach?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “I teach Transfiguration,” said Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        Kerria and Harry looked at each other confused.</p><p>        “I’m sorry, but what?” asked Harry.</p><p>        Professor McGonagall looked a little taken aback as she said, “Transfiguration. Didn’t your aunt and uncle explain everything to you both?”</p><p>        “They don’t know that we’re here or that we got these letters,” said Kerria in a whisper. “They’re not the biggest fans of magic.”</p><p>        Harry nodded in agreement and Professor McGonagall was frowning at that. Harry asked, “Why would our aunt and uncle explain things to us?”</p><p>        “When we left you two with them, Professor Dumbledore had left them a letter, explaining what happened to your parents,” explained Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        “We were told that our parents died in a car crash,” said Kerria.</p><p>        “A c-car crash?” questioned Professor McGonagall. “This is worse than I had originally thought.”</p><p>        Kerria and Harry looked at each other. What exactly did that mean?</p><p>        “So, everything in our letters is true?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “Yes, everything in them is true,” said Professor McGonagall. “You’re a wizard and you’re a witch.”</p><p>        Kerria flinched at the word. She knew that it was true, that she was one, but it still brought up painful memories for her.</p><p>        “I’m sorry, Professor, but she doesn’t like being called that,” said Harry.</p><p>        “Why is that?” asked Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        “Strange things happened to us and kids at school bullied us for it,” replied Kerria. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to tell the professor about the fact that it was mostly caused by her telling everyone things before it happened. Harry was frowning at her and she shook her head a little at him. That was going to be kept quiet.</p><p>        “Okay,” said Professor McGonagall. “We better get your things from Diagon Alley.”</p><p>        “Diagonally?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “Diagon Alley,” said Professor McGonagall. “It’s where witches and wizards get our things.”</p><p>        “Is that like an outside market?” asked Kerria.</p><p>        “Yes, yes, it is,” said Professor McGonagall. “How did you know?”</p><p>        “It was just a guess,” muttered Kerria.</p><p>        “Let’s get going then,” said Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        “Wait,” said Harry. “We don’t have any money.”</p><p>        “You both have a vault at Gringotts, which is a wizard’s bank,” said Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        “We have our own money?” asked Kerria confused.</p><p>        “Yes,” said Professor McGonagall. “Your parents have left everything to you both since they had died.” She looked a little sad at that.</p><p>        “Did you know our parents, Professor?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “Yes, they were two of my best students,” said Professor McGonagall. “Let’s go. Here’s what you have to do. Take a pinch of Floo Powder, toss it in, and say the destination that you plan on getting to.” She took a pinch of powder from the mantle, tossed it in, and said, “Diagon Alley.” She strode into the fireplace when the fire turned green.</p><p>        Kerria and Harry looked at each other.</p><p>        “It’s very easy,” said Mrs Figg. “Don’t forget to tuck in your elbows, and speak very clearly so you don’t get stuck in the wrong grate.”</p><p>        “That’ll be funny,” muttered Kerria, “Getting lost in a fireplace.”</p><p>        "The Dursleys would have a field day with that one,” said Harry. “I’ll go first.”</p><p>        “Try not to get stuck in a fireplace,” said Kerria very cheerfully.</p><p>        Harry rolled his eyes, grabbed some Floo Powder and tossed it in the fireplace, “Diagon Alley.” He stepped in and was gone.</p><p>        Kerria took a deep breath, grabbed some Floo Powder, tossed it in and said, “Diagon Alley.” She walked into the emerald green fire.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Diagon Alley</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kerria tumbled out of the fireplace and feel right onto a stone floor. She really didn’t want to use the fireplace travel system anymore.</p><p>        Harry went to go help Kerria up.</p><p>        “I hate the fireplace transportation,” said Kerria.</p><p>        “Me too,” said Harry.</p><p>        “You’ll get used to it,” said Professor McGonagall with a hint of a smile.</p><p>        “I’m not entirely sure how the Dursleys will feel if we used the fireplace like how we just did,” said Kerria.</p><p>        Harry looked dejected at the mention of the Dursleys. They didn’t even know where the twins were at. Kerria knew that they also didn’t care at all. Sometimes it was miracle that she would wake up in her aunt’s home. Sometimes she wondered why her aunt even took care of them if she obviously didn’t want them there.</p><p>        They walked into a dining portion of what looked to be a restaurant.</p><p>        “This is the Leaky Cauldron,” said Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        “Hello, Professor,” greeted a toothless man. He was standing behind the counter. “Got a couple of Muggle-borns?”</p><p>        “No, Tom,” said Professor McGonagall. “They’re half-bloods. We best be on our way.” She started ushering them to the back of the pub.</p><p>        “What is a Muggle-born?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “A Muggle-born is a person born with magic in a magic-less family,” explained Professor McGonagall.</p><p>         “Are we Muggle-borns?” asked Kerria.</p><p>        “No, Miss Potter,” said Professor McGonagall. “Your father was a Pureblood, a family that comes from a long line of witches and wizards.” Kerria flinched at the term which Professor McGonagall caught. “Your mother was a Muggle-born, she and your father got married and had you two, so you and Harry are half-bloods. A half-blood is a person that came from either a Muggle-born or Muggle and a wizard or witch, or when two Muggle-borns had children.”</p><p>        “Sounds confusing,” said Kerria.</p><p>        “I’m sure you’ll get used to the terms, Miss Potter,” said Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        “Kerria is fine, Professor,” said Kerria.</p><p>        “I assure you, Miss Potter, that if I call you by anything else other than that, it is extremely unprofessional,” said Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        “Okay,” replied Kerria.</p><p>        “Where are we going first?” asked Harry as they got to a walled courtyard where a rubbish bin was at.</p><p>        “First, we should get to your parents’ vault,” said Professor McGonagall tapped the wall with her wand. “Stand back.”</p><p>        They stepped back.</p><p>        The brick started wiggling and a small hole appeared. The hole grew wide and wider into an archway that was big enough for a giant.</p><p>        Harry and Kerria’s mouths dropped open at the sight.</p><p>        Professor McGonagall smiled at them. “This is Diagon Alley.”</p><p>        Kerria took Harry’s hand and gave it a squeeze. She said, “Happy early birthday, Harry.”</p><p>        “Happy early birthday, Kerry,” replied Harry.</p><p>        They let go of each other’s hands and stepped out into Diagon Alley. They walked down and past shops that sold cauldrons, an apothecary, an owl emporium, a shop that sold broomsticks and Quidditch supplies.</p><p>        “What’s Quidditch?” Kerria asked.</p><p>        “It’s a wizard sport,” explained Professor McGonagall. “Seven players play on broomsticks in the air. There are four balls, the Bludgers, Quaffle, and Snitch. The Seeker is the one that catches the Snitch; it adds one hundred and fifty points when caught and ends the game. The Chasers are the ones that put the Quaffle through one of the opponent’s three hoops. The Keepers’ job is to make sure that the Quaffle doesn’t go through the hoops. The Beaters’ job is to make sure that their teammates don’t get hit by the Bludgers.”</p><p>        “Bludgers sound dangerously close to bludgeon,” said Kerria. “You know, when you bludgeon someone to death with a heavy object?"</p><p>        Harry groaned as Professor McGonagall looked at Kerria with some slight horror.</p><p>        “Please forgive my sister, Professor,” said Harry. “She has an unhealthy obsession with true crime.”</p><p><em>        At least he didn’t say murder</em>, Kerria thought.</p><p>        "It’s fine, everyone needs…a hobby,” said Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        They passed a shop that was apparently a pet shop and headed towards a white towering building.</p><p>        They walked up the white stone steps to face burnished bronze doors. There was a creature with a swarthy, clever face, with a pointed beard. The creature wore a red-and-gold uniform and had very long fingers and feet.</p><p>        Kerria couldn’t help but think that the creature’s fingers and feet would be fantastic to disembowel someone with.</p><p>        The creature bowed to them as they entered the doors.</p><p>        “That was a goblin,” said Professor McGonagall. “They work at the bank.”</p><p>        They came to another set of doors but it was polished silver and two more goblins guarded this door. There was a poem engraved on the doors that basically boiled down to killing people who stole.</p><p>        “At least it’s a pretty way to threaten someone,” replied Kerria.</p><p>        Harry sighed and the goblins bowed them in.</p><p>        They went to the front desk and Kerria looked around. There were more goblins writing in ledgers or weighing jewels. They walked up to a goblin at the desk.</p><p>        “Good morning,” said Professor McGonagall. “We’re here to retrieve some money out of Mr and Miss Potter’s vault.” She passed a key to the goblin who examined it closely, before he looked at the twins.</p><p>        “That seems to be in order,” said the goblin. “I will have someone take you down to their vault.” He called for a goblin named Griphook.</p><p>        They followed Griphook through a door and into a stone passageway that was lit with flaming torches.</p><p>        “What’s with the torches?” asked Kerria.</p><p>        “I assume it’s for aesthetic purposes,” said Harry.</p><p>        The floor seemed to slope as they continued walking. They finally hit a ledge where there were tracks like in a coal mine. Griphook whistled and a small cart hurtled up the tracks, stopping right in front them.</p><p>        “Is that thing safe?” asked Kerria looking at the cart.</p><p>        Griphook gave her a wicked smile and Harry put his arm around Kerria’s shoulders protectively.</p><p>        They climbed in the cart and then they shot off. Kerria fell back against the cart due to the momentum. They hurtled through a maze of passages and Kerria couldn’t see because her eyes were blurring.</p><p>        Kerria knew they were plunging quite deep because she could feel the cold air through her white-and-black striped long-sleeved shirt.</p><p>        “What is the difference between stalagmites and stalactites?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “Stalagmites grow on the ground and stalactites grow on the ceiling,” Kerria said. “Just remember <em>g</em> for ground and <em>c</em> for ceiling.”</p><p>        “That’s correct Miss Potter,” said Professor McGonagall, giving Kerria a small smile.</p><p>        “What’s the difference between manslaughter and voluntary manslaughter?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “Manslaughter is accidentally killing another person.” Kerria explained, “Like getting in a car accident and accidentally killing the other person. Voluntary manslaughter is killing someone without premeditation involved. It’s like a man coming home and finding out his wife is having an affair and kills them. It didn’t involve premeditation of any kind, but he intentionally killed them. It’s more like a crime of passion.”</p><p>        The smile that Professor McGonagall had was now gone and replaced with some slight shock.</p><p>        “Okay,” said Harry. “You’re creepy.”</p><p>        “Which is probably why we didn’t have any friends,” Kerria mused.</p><p>        “Probably,” replied Harry. “But it was mostly Dudley’s fault.”</p><p>        Kerria nodded.</p><p>        They finally got to the small door that was in a passage wall. They got out of the cart and Kerria had to lean against the wall to stop her legs from shaking. Harry took Kerria’s arm and draped it over his shoulders so she can lean on him.</p><p>        Professor McGonagall was smiling a little as Griphook opened the door to their vault. Green smoke billowed out of the vault and the twins gasped. There were mounds of gold coins, columns of silver, and heaps of bronze coins.</p><p>        “This is all for you two,” said Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        “All for us?” repeated Kerria, finally getting her bearings back.</p><p>        “Yes,” said Professor McGonagall. They walked into the vault, Kerria finally removing her arm from Harry’s shoulders.</p><p>        Professor McGonagall produced two leather pouches and helped put some coins in them.</p><p>        Kerria held up a gold coin. “I never saw coins like these before.”</p><p>        “The gold ones are Galleons,” said Professor McGonagall. “The silver ones are Sickles, and the bronze ones are knuts. It takes seventeen Sickles to get a Galleon, and twenty-nine Knuts to get a Sickle.”</p><p>        Kerria was sure that she had to write it down so she can memorize it later. “Okay.”</p><p>        Harry nodded and they got back in the cart, and took off again.</p><hr/><p>Harry and Professor McGonagall stood on the steps of Gringotts, while Kerria had to sit down. Harry pulled Kerria’s hair back, just in case and rubbed small circles on her back.</p><p>        “Are you all right, Miss Potter?” asked Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        Kerria nodded, “Just started to get a little sick, that’s all.”</p><p>        They waited a few more moments, before Kerria started regaining some colour in her face.</p><p>        "Where are we going first, Professor?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “Wherever you two plan,” said Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        Kerria got up and rubbed her face. She took out her list and looked at it.</p><p>        “I want to see the books,” said Kerria.</p><p>        Harry snorted, “Of course you would.”</p><p>        “What is that supposed to mean?” asked Kerria offended.</p><p>        “I’m sure you just want to see if there are any true crime books,” said Harry.</p><p>        “Do tell, where you plan on going first?” asked Kerria. Harry couldn’t answer that. “I knew it.”</p><p>        They went to a shop called Flourish and Blotts. The shelves were ceiling high and stacked with books that were as large as paving stones that were bound in leather. There small postage-stamp books, some that were full of strange symbols, and a few blank books as well.</p><p>        Kerria noticed a book that was called <em>Curses and Counter-Curses (Bewitch your Friends and Befuddle your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and much, much more)</em> by Professor Vindictus Viridian.</p><p>        Harry took it and whispered, “We can curse Dudley.”</p><p>        Kerria nodded and when they tried to pay it, Professor McGonagall took it back and said, “Absolutely not! You’re not allowed to do magic outside of school and the magic in this book is way too advanced for you both!”</p><p>        They put the book back and Kerria gathered: <em>Ancient Law</em> which was obnoxiously large, another large book titled <em>The Dark Arts: A Legal Companion, </em>and one large book titled <em>Extraordinary Trials in History</em>.</p><p>        Professor McGonagall sighed and allowed Kerria to get it when the ten-year-old girl said, “We need to learn about the law somehow, Professor.”</p><p>        They paid for their books and got news backpacks from a different shop.</p><p>        Kerria got a black messenger bag while Harry got a regular satchel that was apparently school approved.</p><p>        Kerria stuck all her books, her school books, and law books in her <em>new</em> messenger bag, along with her pouch of money.</p><p>        “How about we get our uniforms?” asked Harry.</p><p>        They went to Madam Malkins, who led the twins to the back and had them stand on stools. Two older witches took their measurements and had put a robe over their heads before they started pinning them to the right length. After that was done, Professor McGonagall helped them with other assorted uniform clothing choices.</p><p>        After that was done, they went to get potion ingredients.</p><p>        They stopped by Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour to get some ice-cream.</p><p>        Professor McGonagall didn’t think that it was appropriate lunches, but Kerria wanted to try the Huckleberry ice-cream that they had with chocolate chips. Harry got peanut butter with chopped nuts. Professor McGonagall refused to have any.</p><p>        They ate their ice-cream as they headed to the cauldron shop.</p><p>        “Want a try?” Kerria asked Harry.</p><p>        “I would, but you probably poisoned it with cyanide when no one was looking,” Harry joked.</p><p>        “Mr Potter,” scolded Professor McGonagall. She said it a little to loudly and a few heads turned to look over.</p><p>        “Did she just say Mr Potter?” one person asked.</p><p>        “Is it <em>the</em> Harry Potter?” another person said.</p><p>        Professor McGonagall ushered them quickly down the alley.</p><p>        She had them stand outside with their ice cream cones while she went inside to get their cauldrons and brass scales.</p><p>        “Look at the owls,” said Kerria.</p><p>        Professor McGonagall brought them their cauldrons and they went to Scribbulus Writing Implements where they got parchment, quills, and ink bottles. Harry got some ink that changed colour as one wrote. Kerria got some pastel blue ink.</p><p>        After that was their wands, so they headed down the alley.</p><p>        Some people stopped to stare at them.</p><p>        “Why is everyone looking at us?” whispered Harry.</p><p>        “Ignore them,” said Kerria.</p><p>        The last shop was narrow and shabby looking with peeling gold letters over the door. Apparently the shop was called: <em>Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC</em>.</p><p>        “The shop definitely looks like it came from three-hundred-eight-two BC,” Kerria whispered to Harry.</p><p>        Harry laughed at that.</p><p>        Professor McGonagall stood outside while the twins walked in the shop. Apparently it was something that they should do alone.</p><p>        A bell tinkled from somewhere inside. There were shelves of boxes in rows.</p><p>        The air seemed to tingle with some sort secret magic.</p><p>        “Good afternoon,” said a soft voice. Harry and Kerria jumped at being startled.</p><p>        An old man was standing right in front of the twins. His eyes were wide and pale.</p><p>        “Hello,” the twins said.</p><p>        “Ah yes,” said the man. “I wondered when I’d be seeing you two, Mr and Miss Potter. It seems only yesterday that your parents were in here buying their first wands.” He looked at them, “You both have your mother’s eyes. Her wand was ten and a quarter inches long, swish, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work.” He looked at Kerria. “You look just like your mother, except you have your father’s hair.” He looked at Harry, “And you look just like your father, except for your eyes of course. He favoured a maghony wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favoured it – it’s really the wand that chooses the witch or wizard, of course.”</p><p>        Kerria tried not to flinch at the word, but she did anyway.</p><p>        “No need to flinch, Miss Potter. The word ‘witch’ is not really a bad word,” said Ollivander.</p><p>        She didn’t even know when Ollivander moved, but he did. He pointed at the edges of the scar. “And that’s where…” Kerria covered her scar with her hand.</p><p>        He looked at the lightning bolt shaped scar on Harry’s forehead.</p><p>        “And there too…” Ollivander started. “I’m sorry to say I sold the wand that created those scars. Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands…well, if I’d known that wand was going out into the world to do…”</p><p>        “We all don’t know what was going to happen,” said Kerria. “Like you said, it was in the wrong hands. A knife in the wrong hands turns into a weapon.”</p><p>        Ollivander nodded, “Wise words from someone so young.” He turned and grabbed a box off the shelf. He opened the box and took out a wand and set it front of Harry. Harry grabbed it. “Well, give it a wave.”</p><p>        Harry gave it a wave and boxes flew off the shelves and crashed down. The twins stepped back and Harry placed the wand back on the shelf.</p><p>        “Apparently not for you,” said Ollivander. He looked at Kerria, “Your turn, Miss Potter.”</p><p>        Kerria shook her head, “No. Sorry.”</p><p>        “It’s okay if you end up destroying my store,” said Ollivander. “After all, it’s easily replaceable.”</p><p>        Kerria took the wand and swished it instead and a window behind them shattered startling Harry and Ollivander. “I told you.”</p><p>        Ollivander flicked his own wand and the glass flew back and fixed itself, good as new. He got another wand from a box, “Perhaps this one.”</p><p>        Harry took the wand and waved it and this time a vase shattered. “No, no, definitely not!”</p><p>        Kerria took the wand and something told her that it wasn’t right. She flicked it and a piece of parchment on the desk caught on fire.</p><p>        Ollivander flicked his wand and the fire went out. “No matter…” He went back again and grabbed a box.</p><p>        Kerria watched and Ollivander returned with a box. He took it out and walked from behind his desk, the twins following his movement. Kerria backed up a little, and put her hand on hip.</p><p>        Ollivander handed the wand to Harry and suddenly a wind picked up and Kerria couldn’t help but smile. It seemed like her brother had found the right wand.</p><p>        “Great, you didn’t have to break anything to find your right wand,” said Kerria.</p><p>        “It’s very curious,” said Ollivander.</p><p>        “Sorry, but what’s curious?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “I remember every wand I’ve ever sold, Mr Potter. It just so happens that the phoenix, whose tail feather resides in your holly wand, gave one other feather, just one. It is curious that you should be destined for this wand when its brother gave you and your sister those scars.”</p><p>        “And…who owned that wand?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “Oh, we do not speak his name. The wand chooses the wizard, Mr Potter. It’s not always clear why, but I think it is clear that we can expect great things from you. After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things…terrible, yes, but great.” He handed Harry the wand and focused on Kerria.</p><p>        “Now, your turn Miss Potter,” said Ollivander. He went to the shelves and grabbed a box. He handed the wand to Kerria.</p><p>        Kerria took it, but it still didn’t <em>feel</em> right. She passed it back to Ollivander, “No. It doesn’t <em>feel</em> right.”</p><p>        Ollivander took it back, giving her a look. “I assure you, Miss Potter, that if you’re taking wands and expecting what happened to your brother to happen to you, it won’t happen, because different wands produce different ways of letting you know that you picked the right one.”</p><p>        “I know Mr Ollivander,” Kerria responded; even though she knew that she couldn’t possible know that. “It’s just a <em>feeling</em>.”</p><p>        “She’s a Seer, Mr Ollivander,” responded Harry. Kerria glared at him.</p><p>        Ollivander smiled, “I see Mr Potter. I believe I have a few wands.” He went away and returned a few moments later with five boxes. He picked one. “Silver lime, unicorn hair, eight and a half inches long.” He passed it to Kerria, but she handed it back. He put it up and opened another box. “Dragon heartstring, seven inches long.”</p><p>        Kerria took the wand and shook her head, “No, sorry.”</p><p>        Ollivander opened another, “Dragon heartstring, nine and a half inches long.”</p><p>        Kerria took it and she felt warmth in her fingers. She raised the wand and flicked it. Red and silver sparks shot out of the end.</p><p>        Ollivander smiled, “I see you finally found your wand.” He was smiling. “Silver lime always performs works best with Seera and those skilled at Legilimency.”</p><p>        “What about holly wands?” asked Kerria.</p><p>        “Holly wands work for those who may need help overcoming a tendency to anger and impetuosity. They often choose owners who are engaged in some dangerous and often spiritual quest,” replied Ollivander.</p><p>        Kerria nodded, wondering what Legilimency even was, but she didn’t want to ask Professor McGonagall that question, because she was sure it would lead to questions that she didn’t want to answer.</p><p>        After paying for their wands they left the shop.</p><p>        “I’m not sure if I like him very much,” said Harry.</p><p>        “He’s…eccentric,” said Kerria. They went back down to the Leaky Cauldron, where Professor McGonagall bought them something to eat.</p><p>        “How did our parents die, Professor?” asked Harry.</p><p>        Professor McGonagall looked sad, “There was this evil wizard—”</p><p>        “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?” asked Kerria. “Ollivander told us a little about him and how he gave us these scars.”</p><p>        Professor McGonagall nodded, “On Hallowe’en, nearly ten years ago, he went to where you parents lived and killed them. He tried to kill Harry, but we’re not entirely sure why gave you that scar on your neck, Miss Potter. Maybe when You-Know-Who was dying he decided to leave one last mark.”</p><p>        For some reason, Kerria didn’t believe that.</p><p>        Harry looked even more dejected.</p><p>        Professor McGonagall asked, “Are there any more questions before I return you two to your relatives?”</p><p>        “Do we really have to go back to them?” Kerria blurted out. “They’re terrible people. They made us sleep in the cupboard under the stairs till we were six, and started getting to big to sleep in there.”</p><p>        “They made Kerry sleep in the shed,” said Harry. “We didn’t even know that we had magic until we got the letters. Look at my clothes. These were Dudley’s hand-me-downs.”</p><p>        “They didn’t even bother asking where we were going, and if we come back with all these things, there’s going to be hell to pay!” Kerria exclaimed. “Did you know, that sometimes abusive households churn out murderers?”</p><p>        Professor McGonagall was staring at them. “I’ll see what I can do.”</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. A New Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Professor McGonagall got the twins a room in the Leaky Cauldron for them to stay in for the night.</p><p>        The bartender, Tom, had brought their trunks to their room for them.</p><p>        When Tom left, Kerria sat on one of the beds.</p><p>        “Do you know why You-Know-Who had killed our parents?” asked Harry.</p><p>        Kerria shook her head, “No. Why would I?”</p><p>        “You’re the Seer here,” replied Harry.</p><p>        Kerria sighed, “I don’t know, Harry. I think that’s something that we have to expect we will not know the answers for.”</p><p>        Harry nodded, “Right. Thank you for getting us away from the Dursleys, even if it would be for a night or so. I think we’ll be forced back there quickly.”</p><p>        Kerria shrugged, “Cheer up. At least we don’t have to explain ourselves to them.”</p><p>        “Yeah, but we’re just delaying their rage,” said Harry.</p><p>        “That is, if they care that we were gone,” replied Kerria.</p><p>        “If they see us with all this stuff…there was a reason that they didn’t want us to know that we have magic,” said Harry.</p><p>        Kerria nodded, “I know. I just…I don’t know what to do Harry. We’re ten-years-old. We just…I don’t know.” She ran her hands through her hair. “I hate this.”</p><p>        “Me too, Kerry,” replied Harry. He pulled her into a hug. “We’ll get through this, together, like always.”</p><p>        “Together, like always,” replied Kerria.</p><hr/><p>The next day, Kerria decided that it was time for them to get on the ball and start their reading ahead to prepare for Hogwarts. Harry groaned and whined about it, since it was summer, there was still plenty of time to prepare. He wanted to see more of Diagon Alley, but Kerria was firm on the manner of studying.</p><p>        They just found out about magic and Harry doesn’t want to dive into it and learn more?</p><p>        Harry grudgingly agreed to start studying with her.</p><hr/><p>It was the next day when Albus Dumbledore showed up. Kerria wasn’t surprised. She had a feeling that someone was going to appear, but she expected it to be Professor McGonagall to take them back to the Dursleys.</p><p>        Dumbledore had a long flowing silver beard and hair to match it. He wore half-moon glasses.</p><p>        “Good morning, Mr and Miss Potter,” greeted Dumbledore. “I’m Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.”</p><p>        Kerria looked up at Dumbledore, “Good morning, Professor.”</p><p>        Harry looked at Dumbledore, “Er, good morning, Professor.”</p><p>        Dumbledore looked at the twins, “It has been brought to my attention by Professor McGonagall that you both don’t want to go back home to your aunt and uncle.”</p><p>        Kerria nodded, “We don’t want to.”</p><p>        Harry nodded in agreement.</p><p>        “Why is that?” asked Professor Dumbledore.</p><p>        Kerria looked at the ground, “We don’t even have rooms. Harry sleeps on a cot in the cupboard under the stairs and I sleep in the living room, sometimes the shed when I’m in trouble.”</p><p>        Harry nodded, “Yes, and when I get in trouble, Kerry gets in trouble too. We didn’t even know we had magic until the letters came in.”</p><p>        “And Dudley bullies us,” said Kerria. “Whatever he says goes. So he can say one thing against us and we’ll get in trouble.”</p><p>        Harry nodded, “Yeah. And we didn’t even know how our parents died, because they said that they died in a car crash.”</p><p>        “I get second-hand clothes and Harry gets Dudley’s overly large hand-me-downs,” added Kerria.</p><p>        “We were more like servants, serving them food, and cleaning the house…” started Harry.</p><p>        “Well, Aunt Petunia helped, though,” Kerria said. “Uncle Vernon slapped me once when Dudley pushed me into Uncle Vernon when he was reading the newspaper. That’s the only time he laid a hand on me, but still.”</p><p>        “I see,” said Dumbledore.</p><p>        “Some people from abusive households turn into murderers,” said Kerria. “Have you heard about the case of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Bell">Mary Bell</a>?”</p><p>        Harry groaned.</p><p>        Professor Dumbledore shook his head, “No, I haven’t.”</p><p>        “Mary Bell was a ten to eleven-year-old girl who had killed a four-year-old boy and, with help from a friend, killed a three-year-old boy. Her mother attempted to kill her by pushing her out of the window and giving Mary sleeping pills saying they were sweets. By the age four, let’s just say, that Mary shouldn’t have been subjected to men like that,” explained Kerria.</p><p>        Dumbledore looked like he didn’t know how to react.</p><p>        “I’m sorry, Professor,” said Harry. “Please forgive my sister. She has a love for true crime.”</p><p>        Dumbledore replied, “I see. Everyone needs a…hobby. But, there is a reason why I have you two placed in their care. It wasn’t out of malice or to hurt you. Your mother’s sacrifice has given you incredibly powerful magic: blood protection to be exact.”</p><p>        “What is blood protection?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “Blood protection or in other words, sacrificial protection, is when a person sacrifices themselves to protect a loved one. Your mother had sacrificed herself to protect you both,” said Dumbleodore.</p><p>        Kerria felt a chill through her body.</p><p>        “However, when she sacrificed herself for you and your sister, she gave you love, which is something Voldemort doesn’t know. That is why when he tried to kill, he vanished. It was your mother’s love protecting you,” explained Dumbledore. “The reason why you both were placed in your aunt and uncle’s care is because your aunt is a relative of yours, being the sister of Lily. The charm was activated when Petunia had taken you both in, keeping you both safe from Voldemort. Lily’s protection is the strongest shield than I can ever give you both.”</p><p>        Kerria looked at Dumbledore. “So, that means that I can accept Harry and he can accept me if we go to a new house, and then we can be protected? We share the same blood, as Aunt Petunia. You can create a new ward for us, right? We can get a new home, since we can accept each other.”</p><p>        Dumbledore started to say, “You can Miss Potter, but—”</p><p>        “Do you want me to turn into a murderer?” asked Kerria. “I can start with the Dursleys.”</p><p>        Dumbledore nodded, “All right. I have to find a suitable home for the both of you. That will take some time. I will return when I find a suitable guardian. Have a good day, Mr and Miss Potter.”</p><p>        “You too, sir,” replied the twins.</p><p>        Dumbledore left, closing the door behind him.</p><p>        “How long have you been waiting to pull out the Mary Bell card?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “Two weeks,” said Kerria. “I wanted to use it on Professor McGonagall, but I didn’t want to say anything.”</p><p>        Harry sighed and said, “I’m glad that you love true crime. I don’t doubt that we would’ve been forced back to the Dursleys.”</p><p>        Kerria nodded, “I just wonder where we’re going to live, though.”</p><hr/><p>On their birthday, the twins decided to go get ice-cream from Florean Fortescue’s to celebrate.</p><p>        “I have an idea,” said Kerria. “I’ll go find you a birthday present, and you’ll get me a birthday present. It’ll be wonderful.”</p><p>        Harry nodded and they went in separate directions.</p><p>        She wondered what Harry would want. She looked around and turned around. She looked at the shops she passed. She looked at Quidditch supply story that had the Nimbus 2000 in it, but she knew that first-years weren’t allowed a broomstick. She looked at Eeylops Owl Emporium and walked in.</p><p>        “Need any help, Miss?” asked the guy behind a counter.</p><p>        “Er – no, thank you,” replied Kerria. “I’m thinking of getting my brother an owl for our birthday.”</p><p>        The wizard nodded and Kerria went to look at the owls. There were some that looked interested in her, but she didn’t think that they would do. She felt guilty for thinking that and noticed a white owl with black flecks looking straight at Kerria. When the owl noticed that Kerria was staring at it, it ruffled its feathers a little and seemed to hold itself up a little straighter, as if trying to look dignified.</p><p>        Kerria smiled at the owl and took the cage down. Before she can move on, there was a strange hooting and she looked over to see a dark brown and light brown striped <a href="https://www.owlpages.com/owls/species/images/barred_owl_ron_shanahan_thumb.jpg">owl</a> with dark eyes. Kerria stepped back and the owl hooted again, looking at Kerria.</p><p>        “Okay, I’ll get you too. It might be better if I get one too,” said Kerria. The owl seemed to hoot in happiness and Kerria smiled at the owl. “You’re adorable.”</p><p>        The owl ruffled its feathers like it enjoyed being complimented.  </p><p>        She went to the counter, “I’ll take them.”</p><p>        “Are the both of them for your brother?” joked the wizard.</p><p>        “The white one is for him, the other one is for me,” said Kerria.</p><p>        “I’d figure the barred owl is for your brother,” said the wizard. “The snowy owl is usually popular with females.”</p><p>        “I’ll like to shake up things,” said Kerria. “The snowy owl goes to him and the barred owl will go to me.”</p><p>        The wizard seemed amused, “The snowy owl is female and the barred owl is male.”</p><p>        Kerria looked at the barred owl. “How does the name…Herman sound to you?”</p><p>        “Herman?” asked the wizard.</p><p>        “Yes, named after H. H. Holmes, the serial killer from the eighteen hundreds in America. He built a hotel, well it was more like a castle, where he can kill people in it,” said Kerria.</p><p>        The wizard did a small step backwards. “The snowy owl is fifteen Galleons and the barred owl, er, Herman, is eleven Galleons,”</p><p>        Kerria grimaced as she paid for the owls. That sounded so expensive. She said, “Have a good day, sir.”</p><p>        “Thank you and you too,” said the wizard. Kerria took the cages and carried the owls outside.</p><p>        She passed by a blond boy with blond parents, who knocked right into her shoulder.</p><p>        “Excuse you, brat!” Kerria called.</p><p>        The blond boy turned to glare at Kerria, as if he was mad that she spoke to him.</p><p>        “What did you call me?” the blond boy demanded in a cold drawling tone.</p><p>        “I called you a brat,” said Kerria. “You knocked into me and didn’t even say anything. I was just minding my own business.”</p><p>        The family was staring at Kerria.</p><p>        “Kerry?” called Harry.</p><p>        Kerria turned and hurried on.</p><p>        “Kerry?” called Harry a little more urgently. He was probably paranoid that that she had gotten kidnapped or something. She guessed that’s what she gets for talking to Harry about true crime.</p><p>        “Over here, Harry!” called Kerria.</p><p>        Harry came over holding a cage with a grey-and-white fluffy <a href="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/cc/36/03/cc3603026786b332b5be037c3b6703e6.jpg">cat</a> in it. The cat looked disgruntled.</p><p>        Harry frowned when he saw the owls. “If I knew that you were going to get an owl…” He looked at the cat.</p><p>        “The owl is for me,” said Kerria. She held the cage with the snowy owl to Harry. “Happy birthday, Harry.”</p><p>        Harry took the cage and held the cat to Kerry, “Happy birthday, Kerry.”</p><p>        “This is Herman,” said Kerria to the owl. “Herman, this is Harry.”</p><p>        Herman did his hoot that Kerria realised sounded more like, “Who’s cooking for you?”</p><p>        “Herman?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “H. H. Holmes,” replied Kerria.</p><p>        “The murder castle guy?” asked Harry.</p><p>        Kerria nodded, “It was either Herman or Ian Bradley or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Fish">Albert Fish</a>.”</p><p>        Harry grimaced, “Anyone but Bradley or Fish.”</p><p>        Kerria laughed, “Yeah, anyone but them, I suppose.”</p><p>        “I still can’t believe you wrote an essay on H. H. Holmes,” said Harry.</p><p>        “Our teacher said that we can write an essay on an event from history,” pointed out Kerria.</p><p>        “You made her change the rules,” countered Harry. “She now says a fun event from Britain.”</p><p>        “Well she should’ve been more specific,” said Kerria. She looked at the cat, “What gender is the cat?”</p><p>        “Female,” said Harry.</p><p>        “Her name is now Misty,” said Kerria.</p><p>        Harry seemed to be relieved, like he was glad that Kerria didn’t name Misty after a female serial killer, like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Elizabeth_Wilson">Mary Elizabeth Wilson</a>or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_B%C3%A1thory">Elizabeth Báthory</a> or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belle_Gunness">Belle Gunness</a>.</p><p>        “Let’s go, Dumbledore might be waiting for us,” said Kerria. They hurried back to the Leaky Cauldron.</p><p>        When they finally got to their room, Kerria opened Herman’s and Misty’s cages to let them out. Harry opened his owl’s cage.</p><p>        Herman flew over to a dresser and landed on it. He looked around while Misty decided to stretch out on Harry’s bed.</p><p>        “Don’t get used to it, Herman,” said Kerria. “We might be leaving soon. I figured that since you’ve been cooped up in that cage for who-knows-how long, you should stretch your wings.”</p><p>        There was a knock on the door.</p><p>        “Come in,” called Harry.</p><p>        Dumbledore walked in and looked at the animals. “I see that you’ve done a little shopping.”</p><p>        “Yeah, it was for our birthday,” said Kerria.</p><p>        “A very happy birthday to you both, then,” said Dumbledore.</p><p>        “Thank you, sir,” replied Harry.</p><p>        “I have found a new home for you both,” said Dumbledore. “I had to make preparations on making sure it was safe and setting up the protection charm for next year. Since you both had lived with the Dursleys, the ward will still be up. I know that it would be broken if you permanently moved out or when you both come of age, so you’ll only temporarily live there for the rest of the holiday. The charm will go up, and it will take effect, as long as you call the place home by next year. I have notified your relatives of the news that you are moving out and I had taken the liberty of moving your belongings to your new home, including your bunk-bed.”</p><p>        “And how did they take it?” asked Kerria.</p><p>        “Petunia was a little upset at the news,” said Dumbledore. “She had told me that she wishes you both well and told me to tell Kerria that police are considering charges relating to Mark Tildseley’s case and that the search was unsuccessful. Vernon said that it was about time and Dudley was happy that he finally got his room back.”</p><p>        Kerria was surprised that her aunt had taken the time to look for updates on Mark Tildseley for her while she was gone. It was actually a bit touching knowing that her aunt cared enough to let her know. Then again, Aunt Petunia didn’t throw her book away when Uncle Vernon told her to, so that had to count for something.</p><p>        Dumbledore waved his wand and all of the twins’ belongings flew in their trunks. “Gather your owls and cat; they’re eagerly waiting for both of your arrivals.”</p><p>        “Who’s waiting for us?” asked Harry.</p><p>        Dumbledore seemed to smile mischievously but didn’t answer the question.</p><p>        “Herman, it’s time for you to get in your cage,” said Kerria opening the cage for her owl.</p><p>        Herman flew into the cage, looking disgruntled to do so. Kerria picked up Misty and put her in the cage.</p><p>        Harry coaxed his owl into her cage.</p><p>        “Harry, you’ll go first,” said Dumbledore, “Keep a hand on me.”</p><p>        Harry grabbed his trunk and his owl’s cage.</p><p>        “Why can’t we just Floo there?” asked Kerria.</p><p>        “It’ll be rude to Floo into someone’s home without knowing them,” said Dumbledore. He waved his wand and the two of them were gone in a crack, leaving Kerria feeling worried and anxious. It was about a minute or two until Dumbledore returned.</p><p>        “Your turn, Kerria,” said Dumbledore. Kerria grabbed her belongs, but Dumbledore linked his arm with Kerria’s so he can hold onto Herman’s cage.</p><p>        He raised his wand and then everything went black. It felt like she was being squeezed by all directions. It felt like she couldn’t breathe and that everything was condensing into her, like she was trying to turn into a ball of gore.</p><p>        Then she was standing on some sand, looking up at a stone cottage that was some feet away from. Harry was looking pale.</p><p>        Kerria turned away from him and threw up.</p><p>        “Sorry,” said Kerria weakly.</p><p>        “It’s quite all right, Kerria,” said Dumbledore. “Most people vomit after their first time Apparating. Come on, it’s rude to keep them waiting,” said Dumbledore.</p><p>        They gathered their trunks and pets, before walking up the stone pathway to the cottage.</p><p>        Dumbledore knocked on the door and it opened, revealing a close cropped grey-haired woman wearing a monocle.</p><p>        “Amelia Bones,” greeted Dumbledore. “Here’s Harry and Kerria Potter.”</p><p>        Kerria looked up at the woman. “Harry and Kerria, this is Amelia. She’s Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and has a seat on the Wizengamot.”</p><p>        Amelia stepped to the side, “Come in, come on. I’m sorry for keeping you three outside.”</p><p>        “It’s all right, Amelia,” replied Dumbledore. “I’m afraid I have matters to attend to. I’ll let the Potters settle in for the rest of the holiday.”</p><p>        He left and the twins walked inside the cottage, together, as always.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. A Professor's Concern</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dumbledore’s other matters turned out to be talking to Mrs Figg through the fireplace and having a meeting with Minerva McGonagall.</p><p>        “I’m worried about Kerria Potter, Albus,” said Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        “And why is that, Minerva?” asked Dumbledore. He had a feeling why, but he needed to hear it.</p><p>        “She seems to have an unhealthy obsession about true crime,” said Professor McGonagall, "or, in other words, murder."</p><p>        Dumbledore nodded, “I just finished talking to Mrs Arabella Figg and she said that Miss Potter’s love of true crime developed when she was around eight-years-old. The only known act of violence that Kerria showed was when she smashed her cousin’s remote control aeroplane with her foot and threatened that next time it would be his and his friend’s heads, because they were taking turns trying to hit her with the toy aeroplane, chanting something like, ‘<em>hit the witch.</em>’”</p><p>        Professor McGonagall frowned, “They told me that they didn’t know were a witch or wizard.”</p><p>        “Ah, yes, Arabella told me that they didn’t know they had magic, but the word ‘witch’ was used as a insult to Kerria. There was this incident in the girls’ toilets at school where Kerria had gotten beaten up by a group of older girls for accidentally doing magic, and ‘witch’ was the most common insult geared towards her, which Dudley and his friends gladly used to insult her, along with ‘freak’.”</p><p>        “That explains why she flinched when I mentioned the word ‘witch’,” said Professor McGonagall. “Poor girl had been bullied and beaten by her peers for things she couldn’t control, especially by her cousin and his friends.” Now she knew why Kerria and Harry didn’t want to go back to Privet Drive.</p><p>        For a moment, Dumbledore looked sympathetic. “It was a good thing that incident didn’t traumatize her or else…”</p><p>        Professor McGonagall nodded.</p><p>        “If you’re worried that she’ll turn into the next Tom Riddle, Kerria had shown compassion, when Dudley knocked Arabella over when she was crossing Privet Drive, Kerria ran over to help her up. Arabella had a broken leg at the time.”</p><p>        Professor McGonagall almost smiled.</p><p>        “And Kerria has things that Tom Riddle didn’t have,” said Dumbledore. “Kerria knows what love is. She seemed especially fond of the cat and owls that she and Harry got for their birthday.”</p><p>        Professor McGonagall couldn’t help but give a small smile at the mention of Kerria getting a cat.</p><p>        “Kerria also has Harry, a relative that clearly loves her despite her…interest of true crime,” said Dumbledore. “He seemed more exasperated when Kerria brought up Mary Bell.”</p><p>        “Yes, he did seem exasperated when Kerria mentioned it,” said Professor McGonagall. “And he does entertain her when he didn’t know what the difference is between manslaughter and voluntary manslaughter.”</p><p>        “Entertaining, but not condemning,” said Dumbledore. “That shows that he loves her and she knows it. I have no doubt that she talked to him a lot about true crime, which is why he gets exasperated.”</p><p>        “He called her creepy, when we were going to their parents’ vault,” said Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        “Just a brotherly insult,” said Dumbledore. “No malice behind it, I assume?”</p><p>        “She did take it lightly and said that it was probably why she didn’t have any friends,” said Professor McGonagall. “However, apparently it was Dudley’s fault.”</p><p>        “Another reason why they didn’t want to go home,” said Dumbledore.</p><p>        “How can a person their age be so cruel to his own cousins?” asked Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        “I don’t know,” said Dumbledore, “but I feel assured that she wanted to make sure that they got out of their environment. She was thinking of her and her brother, which again, shows empathy and compassion, a few qualities that Tom Riddle lacked.”</p><p>        Professor McGonagall was now frowning.</p><p>        “If you’re still worried, I have left them in the care of Madam Amelia Bones for a few reasons,” said Dumbledore.</p><p>        Professor McGonagall was a little surprised. “Why?”</p><p>        “Amelia Bones agreed to keep an eye on Kerria and send me updates, in case anything suddenly bad happens,” said Dumbledore. “I bet Miss Susan can be able to relate to them because of their shared circumstances. It would be something that the three of them can bond over, which is something that Tom Riddle lacked.”</p><p>        “What if she gets sorted into Slytherin? She certainly wasn’t above using her knowledge to her advantage to get out of her home life,” said Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        “Which is a good thing, if I had to admit,” said Dumbledore. “She did make a point, Tom Riddle came out of a cruel orphanage and he turned into who he is. I did look into Mary Bell, a Muggle girl from the nineteen-sixties, and I believe her situation turned her into a murderer. When she got taken out of her home life, she vanished into obscurity, with help from the Muggle law. I suspect that her situation was the best outcome because she was a child and was able to turn into an upstanding citizen with the proper guidance. I have no doubt that Madam Bones would be able to nudge Kerria into the right direction and show the consequences of what happens if Kerria starts going down a dark path.”</p><p>        Professor McGonagall said, “There is a reason why You-Know-Who had cut the S in her neck.”</p><p>        “I suspect that Voldemort was trying to subvert the prophecy by marking Kerria. The prophecy said ‘boy’ and he was trying to eliminate Harry to change it. I wouldn’t doubt that Voldemort had decided that Kerria would be an interesting opponent. Maybe it was a mercy; maybe he decided to let her live so she can go after him if she found out that he had killed Harry, if Harry had died. Kerria does have a look of intelligence about her,” said Dumbledore.</p><p>        “He wanted her to be his true equal?” asked Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        “Yes, to try and change his fate,” said Dumbledore.</p><p>        Professor McGonagall stared. “So, she is the real Chosen One?”</p><p>        “No, Harry is the true Chosen One,” said Dumbledore. “Harry was the one who survived. He is the one destined to be Voldemort’s downfall.”</p><p>        Professor McGonagall nodded, “What do we do with Kerria?”</p><p>        “We’ll have to keep an eye on her and hope that she finds her right path,” said Dumbledore. “And try to keep nudging her in the right direction.”</p><p>        “What if she ends up in Slytherin?” asked Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        “Let’s hope that she will find the right friends in Slytherin,” said Dumbledore. “The ones who won’t lead her down the dark path.”</p><p>        Professor McGonagall nodded, “I see.”</p><p>        “Let’s hope that Harry, Susan, and Madam Bones can keep her on the right path this summer,” said Dumbledore.</p><p>        “Okay, Albus,” said Professor McGonagall. “I trust that you know what you’re doing."</p><p>        "We just have to keep an eye on her when she gets to Hogwarts," said Dumbledore.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Journey to Hogwarts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The rest of the summer went by to quickly in Kerria’s opinion, but she was beginning to get antsy because she wanted to get to Hogwarts already. Her bangs had grown out during the summer, so she had gotten some gold and silver rose flower hair pins.</p><p>        It was oddly comforting welcoming with Amelia and Susan. It was far from different from living with the Dursleys. It was nice living with people who actually <em>wanted</em> them there.</p><p>        So, it was almost saddening when Kerria packed up her things for Hogwarts. She double-checked if she had everything. She knew that Madam Bones would send her whatever had been left behind, but she didn’t want to be too much of a burden for her.</p><p>        After packing up, Kerria looked around Susan’s room. She was sad that she was going away, but she was excited to start something new in her life.</p><p>        Madam Bones had used the Knight Bus get to them Kings’ Cross Station. Kerria wasn’t sure which mode of transportation she hated more: Floo, Apparition, or the Knight Bus.</p><p>        All Madam Bones did was held out her wand and a triple-decker purple coloured literally banged in front of them.</p><p>        Then one wild ride later, they were outside King’s Cross, and then loaded up trolleys with their luggage and Madam Bones ushered them into the train station.</p><p>        Kerria kept an eye out for Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, but she couldn’t find it. She was frowning as they got to a brick pillar in between nine and ten. She looked Madam Bones. “So, we just have to run at the pillar and get to the platform right?”</p><p>        Susan was now giving Kerria a strange look.</p><p>        “Right,” said Madam Bones. “Susan, you go first.”</p><p>        Susan ran at the pillar and disappeared.</p><p>        “Now, Kerria, your turn,” said Madam Bones.</p><p>        Kerria nodded and ran at the pillar. She closed her eyes and kept running. She stopped and opened her eyes. She was looking at the scarlet steam engine which was puffing out smoke. A sign overhead read: <em>Hogwarts Express, 11 o’clock</em>. She looked behind her to see a wrought-iron archway that had <em>Platform Nine and Three-Quarters</em>. Harry came running out of the archway and almost ran into Kerria.</p><p>        Susan went over to where the twins were at with her trolley.</p><p>        Madam Bones strode up to them.</p><p>        “Auntie, I found us a compartment,” said Susan. She led them down the platform and to a compartment that was empty.</p><p>        After getting their trolleys in the compartment, they went down to Madam Bones.</p><p>        “Thank you for taking us in, Amelia,” said Kerria. She almost jerked when she realised that she had referred to Amelia as Amelia rather than Madam Bones. She figured that she actually got to know Amelia; it made sense to refer to Amelia by her first name.</p><p>        Amelia smiled, “It’s no problem, dear. It was the least I can do to help you get out of your previous home.”</p><p>        Kerria said, “It wasn’t a home.”</p><p>        “Not really,” said Harry at the same time as Kerria spoke.</p><p>        They had mentioned a few things about what it was like living with the Dursleys; the second-hand clothing, the lack of knowledge about magic, and being treated like servants was one of the few things that had been mentioned.</p><p>        “Amelia!” a female called.</p><p>        Amelia turned to see a dark-haired woman with a blonde-haired girl coming up to them. Amelia smiled, “Ah, Victoria. It’s nice to see you again.”</p><p>        The woman, presumably Victoria, smiled, “Yes. I’m just dropping Charlotte off.” She looked at Susan, “I see you’re dropping off Susan.” She seemed to notice the two black-haired children with Amelia. “And…?” She trailed off.</p><p>        "Harry and Kerria,” said Amelia. “Albus had taken them out of their previous residence due to…complications with their former guardians. I agreed to take them in.”</p><p>        Victoria looked more closely at them, “You mean, they’re…?”</p><p>        “Yes, they are,” said Amelia.</p><p>        Rhiannon’s eyes seemed to widen at the sight.</p><p>        “What type of complications?” asked Victoria curiously.</p><p>        “That is between them, their former guardians, Albus, and Minerva,” said Amelia.</p><p>        “Right, my mistake,” said Victoria. “Come on, Rihannon, we better hurry before the train leaves.” They went down the platform.</p><p>        “Who was that?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “That was Victoria Williams,” said Amelia. “She works in the Department of Magical Transportation. I hope that you three have a good year at Hogwarts. Do try to keep in touch as often as you could.”</p><p>        “Yes, Auntie,” said Susan.</p><p>        “Harry and I’ll try to keep in touch,” said Kerria.</p><p>        “We will,” Harry assured Amelia.</p><p>        The whistle sounded and Amelia hugged each of them, but she kissed Susan on top of her head.</p><p>        “Have a great time at Hogwarts,” said Amelia smiling, like she was proud of them.</p><p>        No. She <em>was</em> proud of them.</p><p>        It was strange being smiled at like that, like Kerria had done something to be proud of. However, she wasn’t sure what she did that would make Amelia proud of her, but it was welcoming in a way. She hugged Amelia one more time, “Thank you.”</p><p>        The three of them got on the train and waved bye to Amelia, who waved back. They kept waving until the train turned a corner.</p><p>        Susan looked at Kerria, “How did you know that we had to run at the pillar to get onto the platform? That wasn’t even mentioned in any of the books.”</p><p>        Kerria shrugged and the compartment door opened. A red-haired boy looked in at the three and groaned. </p><p>        “It’s not that full,” said Kerria quickly. “It’s just us there. So, you can sit in here with us. We don’t bite.”</p><p>        “At least not me,” said Harry. “Kerry does, though.”</p><p>        “Only if you make me mad enough,” said Kerria. </p><p>        The red-haired boy looked at Susan, who had grown used to it. “You get used to it.”</p><p>        The red-haired boy walked in the compartment and closed the door. He sat across from Susan. </p><p>        “I’m Susan Bones,” said Susan. “And they’re Harry and Kerria. They’re sort of my adopted siblings.”</p><p>        “I’m Ron Weasley,” said Ron. He looked at the twins. “Adopted?”</p><p>        “We lived with horrible Muggles and Kerry got us out of that situation and Professor Dumbledore allowed us to live with Amelia and Susan,” explained Harry. </p><p>        “How bad were they?” asked Ron.</p><p>        “Very,” said Harry. “Our aunt and uncle threatened to throw away my sister’s books, and we never got anything new either, only some small new things because Kerry did chores for other people.”</p><p>        “We weren’t wanted, that’s why they treated us like that, and treated our cousin nicely,” said Kerria.</p><p>        “By ‘nice’, she means that he was spoiled,” said Harry.</p><p>        “By ‘spoiled’, Harry means spoiled rotten,” added Kerria.</p><p>        Ron looked at Susan.</p><p>        Susan said, “They’ve lived with me and my aunt for a month, so we’re used to them talking like that.”</p><p>        “Are you by any chance twins?” asked Ron. “I have two older brothers who are twins and sometimes they talk like that.”</p><p>        Harry looked at Ron, “Yes. We are.”</p><p>        Ron looked at Harry’s forehead, where his scar was peeking out. He pointed, “What is that?”</p><p>        Harry moved his fringe to the side to show Ron the scar.</p><p>        Ron looked at it with wide eyes and looked at Kerria’s neck as if trying to see her S-shaped scar.       </p><p>        Kerria didn’t show her scar to him. She didn’t like the idea of people looking at it. She didn’t even like Harry looking at it. So people knowing about it and trying to see it makes her skin crawl. She wasn’t some kind of zoo animal.</p><p>        “Sorry, she doesn’t like even <em>me</em> seeing her scar,” said Harry.</p><p>        The compartment door opened and two red-haired twins opened the door. One boy said, “Hey, Ron.”</p><p>        “Listen, we’re going down the middle of the train – Lee Jordan’s got a tarantula down there,” the other said.</p><p>        “Right,” mumbled Ron, not looking to particular interested in the tarantula.</p><p>        “See you later, then,” said one of the twins and then they were gone.</p><p>        “Are all your family wizards?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “Er – yes, I think so,” said Ron. “I think Mum’s got a second cousin who’s an accountant, but we never talk about him.”</p><p>        Susan and Kerria looked at each other. Kerria knew that Harry never had a friend before, and him spending a month cooped up with two girls, so it wasn't a surprise that Harry would jump at the chance to befriend a boy.</p><p>        “That’s horrible,” said Susan. “I thought the Weasleys were all about family.”</p><p>        Ron shrugged, “I suppose.”</p><p>        “So you have two older brothers?” asked Kerria.</p><p>        “I actually have five older brothers and a little sister,” said Ron.</p><p>        Kerria turned to Misty’s cage and opened it. Misty jumped out and glared at Kerria, before getting in the seat next to her.</p><p>        Herman hooted in a sad tone.</p><p>        “Harry, I think your owl is sad that it’s not getting out of the cage,” said Ron.</p><p>        “That’s Herman,” said Susan, “He belongs to Kerria. Hedwig belongs to Harry.”</p><p>        “Oh,” replied Ron, his ears turning red.</p><p>        Kerria opened her trunk and looked through it.</p><p>        “What are you looking for?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “I’m looking for <em>Helter Skelter</em>,” said Kerria.</p><p>        “She’s looking for <em>what</em>?” asked Ron.</p><p>        “It’s a book,” clarified Harry.</p><p>        “It’s in my trunk,” said Susan. “I borrowed it to see what it was about but I couldn’t finish the first chapter.” She got up and opened her trunk. She took the book out and handed it to Kerria.</p><p>        “What’s that about?” asked Ron.</p><p>        “It’s about Charles Manson,” said Kerria.</p><p>        “Who’s he?” asked Ron.</p><p>        “He’s a cult leader who made his followers kill nine people,” said Kerria. “Perhaps the most famous, or infamous, murder was Sharon Tate because she was—”</p><p>        “He doesn’t need to hear that detail,” interrupted Harry. “No one needs to hear what happened to Sharon.”</p><p>        Ron looked at Kerria and then looked at Harry, “She reads books about murderers?”</p><p>        “Yes," said Harry. "She has a love of true crime. That’s what that genre is called in the Muggle world.”</p><p>        “Oh,” replied Ron. “The Muggles allowed her to read books like that?”</p><p>        “At first they didn’t want her to, because they were terrified of her…getting ideas,” said Harry. “She scared them.”</p><p>        “I didn’t,” said Kerria. “If I did, Dudley and his stupid gang would’ve left me alone.”</p><p>        There was a knock on the compartment door and a smiling, dimple-faced woman poked her head in, “Anything from the trolley dears?”</p><p>        Kerria opened her messenger bag and took out the owl shaped coin purse that Susan had gotten her as a late birthday present.</p><p>        Susan and Harry joined her at the trolley. Kerria got four packages of Chocoballs, something that she had grew fond of, two boxes of Cauldron Cakes, some pumpkin pasties, and three bottles of pumpkin fizz.</p><p>        Susan got some pink coconut ice and nougat chunks, with a few bottles of pumpkin juice.</p><p>        Harry got Chocolate Frogs and pumpkin juice.</p><p>        Ron had some sandwiches that his mother packed him. He pulled a sandwich apart and groaned, “Corned beef.”</p><p>        “What’s wrong with corned beef?” asked Kerria confused.</p><p>        “She forgets that I don’t like corned beef,” said Ron.</p><p>        “What’s wrong with corned beef?” asked Harry.</p><p>        Ron rolled his eyes and set the sandwiches aside.</p><p>        Kerria handed Ron two pumpkin pasties and a bottle of pumpkin fizz. Ron seemed surprised at that and Harry handed Ron some chocolate frogs and Susan gave him a tin of coconut ice and nougat chunks.</p><p>Ron’s ears turned pink, “Thanks you three.”</p><p>        “No problem,” said Kerria. “It’ll be rude to eat in front of you and don’t have anything to eat.” She opened up <em>Helter Skelter</em> and started reading, as she ate a Chocoball.</p><p>        “How can she eat when reading about death?” Ron asked Harry.</p><p>        “She once started discussing Mark Tildesley’s case with a random man on one of those rare occasions that the Dursleys took us out,” said Harry. “And that was when we were eating. That was pretty disturbing and embarrassing for the Dursley’s. They had to drag her out of there before she start explaining how he died.”</p><p>        “Who’s Mark Tildesley?” asked Ron.</p><p>        Kerria started, “He was a seven-year-old boy who was kidnapped and—”</p><p>        “He was horrifically killed by adults and you really don’t need to know the details of how that came about,” said Harry quickly.</p><p>        “How can you stand to know?” asked Ron confused.</p><p>        Harry shrugged, “I got used to it since I hear about it.” He added, “It’s fine really.” Harry opened the Chocolate Frog box and took out a card. “Hey, I got Dumbledore!”</p><p>        “Don’t tell me you don’t know who Dumbledore is,” replied Ron.</p><p>        “We know who Dumbledore is. We met him once and that was because he was taking us to the cottage where Amelia and Susan live,” said Harry.</p><p>        “Oh, I got Morgana again,” said Ron. “And I’ve got about six of her.”</p><p>        “Hey, can I have that one? I haven’t gotten her yet,” said Susan.</p><p>        Ron passed the card to Susan.</p><p>        “She does have a pretty impressive collection,” said Kerria.</p><p>        Soon there was a knock on the compartment door and a round-faced boy walked in, “Sorry, but have you seen a toad at all?”</p><p>        “No, sorry,” said Susan.</p><p>        “I’ve lost him! He keeps getting away from me!” wailed the boy.</p><p>        “Have you tried the middle of the train?” asked Kerria.</p><p>        “Well, no,” said the boy.</p><p>        “I’m sure that he’ll turn up,” said Harry.</p><p>        “Yes, well, if you see him…” said the boy sounding miserable. He turned and left.</p><p>        “Don’t know why he’s so bothered. If I’d brought a toad I’d lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can’t talk,” said Ron.</p><p>        “Well, the toad is his pet,” said Susan. “It’s family.”</p><p>        “Who’s Scabbers?” asked Kerria confused.</p><p>        Ron reached in his jacket and took out a fat, grey rat. Kerria stared at the rat and for some reason, it seemed a little familiar. “Is it dead? It was in your jacket all this time.”</p><p>        “No, he’s asleep, but to be honest, you wouldn’t know the difference. I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn’t work. I’ll show you, look…” Ron went to his trunk and started rummaging around in it. He pulled out a battered-looking wand and had something white glinting at the end.</p><p>        “What is that?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “The unicorn hair,” said Ron.</p><p>        “Is that thing safe?” asked Susan staring at the wand.</p><p>        Ron shrugged and raised the wand but the compartment door opened.</p><p>        The boy was back, but he had a bushy, brown-haired girl with him.</p><p>        “Has anyone seen a toad? Neville’s lost one,” said the girl. She had a bossy sort of voice.</p><p>        “We didn’t see it,” said Susan.</p><p>        “Oh, are you doing magic? Let’s see it, then,” said the girl. She sat down and Kerria glanced at the boy, presumably Neville.</p><p>        Ron cleared his throat and said, “<em>Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid, fat ray yellow.</em>” He waved his wand, but nothing happened.</p><p>        “Are you sure that’s a real spell? Well, it’s not very good, is it? I’ve tried a few simple spells just for practice and it’s all worked for me.” As she spoke, she started talking faster, “Nobody in my family’s magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it’s the very best school of witchcraft there is, I’ve heard – I’ve learnt all our set books off by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough – I’m Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?”</p><p>        Everyone in the compartment looked stumped at what Hermione had said.</p><p>        “I’m Ron Weasley,” muttered Ron.</p><p>        “I’m Susan Bones,” said the red-haired girl.</p><p>        “Harry Potter,” said Harry.</p><p>        “Are you really?” Hermione said, “I know all about you, of course – I got a few extra books for background reading, and you’re in <em>Modern Magical History </em>and<em> The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts </em>and<em> Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century.</em>”</p><p>        “I know,” replied Harry. “Kerry made me read about us.”</p><p>        Kerria nodded with a smirk.</p><p>        Hermione looked at Kerria. “Holy Cricket, you’re Kerria Potter.”</p><p>        “I noticed,” replied Kerria dryly.</p><p>        Hermione noticed the book that Kerria was reading, “Aren’t you a little young to be reading about crimes that horrific?”</p><p>        “Yes,” Kerria said slowly, “and your point is?”</p><p>        “You better change in your uniforms, I suspect we’ll be there soon,” said Hermione and left with Neville.</p><p>        Ron tossed the wand back in his trunk, “Whatever house I’m in, I hope she’s not in it. Stupid spell – George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud.”</p><p>        “She’s okay, Ron,” said Susan. “I bet she’s just excited. As for the spell, I’m not sure. It looks like Scabbers’s whiskers are a little lighter though.”</p><p>        Ron gave her a weak smile at the attempt to make him feel better.</p><p>        “What house are your brothers in?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “Gryffindor,” said Ron. “Mum and Dad were in it, too. I don’t know what they’ll say if I’m not. I don’t suppose Ravenclaw <em>would</em> be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin.”</p><p>        “Hey! Don’t leave out Hufflepuff,” said Susan. “I know that I’m going to be in Hufflepuff. My aunt and parents were in Hufflepuff.”</p><p>        “Fred and George will laugh if I was to be in Hufflepuff,” said Ron.</p><p>        “Hufflepuff’s not horrible,” said Susan. “Newt Scamader, the writer of <em>Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, </em>was a Hufflepuff and he had all these wonderful adventures getting the beasts in his book.”</p><p>        “I guess Hufflepuff won’t be too bad,” said Ron.</p><p>        “And Slytherin can’t be too horrible,” said Kerria. “Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin all had bad people come out. Slytherin, of course, had more than the other three. Sirius Black was a Gryffindor and he killed all those Muggles, and his family was Slytherins. It’s not Slytherins fault it has the horrible reputation. It’s just that the bad covers the good. Especially after what You-Know-Who did. And with the reputation they have and how everyone seems to shun them, it’s no surprise why they’re like that.”</p><p>        Susan nodded, “She’s right.” She looked at Ron, “Hey, did you hear about the break-in attempt at Gringotts? My aunt was telling us about it.”</p><p>        Harry nodded, “Yeah.”</p><p>        “I heard that the person hasn’t been caught,” said Ron. “My dad says it must’ve been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they think they didn’t take anything, that’s what odd.”</p><p>        “They were probably looking for something,” said Kerria. “I think that’s what I read.”</p><p>        Harry nodded, “Right. They said that the vault has been emptied prior. And it also happened on our birthday too. We were probably in Diagon Alley when it happened.”</p><p>        “That’s a bit of a stretch,” said Kerria. “We weren’t in Diagon Alley for that long and it could’ve happened at any time.”</p><p>        Harry shrugged, “You’re right, Kerry.”</p><p>        “Hey, what’s your favourite Quidditch team?” Susan asked Ron.</p><p>        “The Chudley Cannons,” said Ron brightly.</p><p>        The two launched into a conversation about Quidditch and the games they had been too, while Kerria and Harry awkwardly watched, since they hadn’t seen any Quidditch games yet.</p><p>        Kerria looked out the window to see that the sun was beginning to lower. “We’ll probably be there in a few hours.”</p><p>        “Most likely,” said Harry.</p><p>        The compartment door opened and a pale boy walked in with two thickset boys. The boy looked at them, “Is it true? They’re all saying all down the train that Harry and Kerria Potter are in this compartment.” He looked at the only two black-haired kids. “So, it’s you two, is it?”</p><p>        “Yes,” replied Harry a little dully, looking at the two thickset boys.</p><p>        Kerria couldn’t help but think that the three reminded her of Dudley and his gang.</p><p>        “Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle,” said the pale boy. “And my name’s Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.”</p><p>        Ron snorted, which was covered by Susan saying, “I heard about your father.” It caused Malfoy to look at her. “He was part of You-Know-Who’s inner circle and when You-Know-Who was conquered, he crawled back saying he was under the Imperius Curse.”</p><p>        Malfoy glared at Susan, “No one’s talking to you, Bones.”</p><p>        Susan glared back.</p><p>        Malfoy turned to look at Harry, “You’ll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there.” He held out his hand to Harry.</p><p>        “No,” replied Kerria. “Harry and I are quite capable of making friends of our own, and we already did.”</p><p>        “And we can tell who the wrong sort are for ourselves, thanks,” replied Harry in a cold tone.</p><p>        “I’d be careful if I were you, Potter,” said Malfoy slowly. “Unless you’re a bit politer, you’ll go the same as your parents and the Bones family. They didn’t know what was good for them, either.”</p><p>        “You take that back, you boot-licker!” shouted Kerria. She tossed her book to Harry and grabbed Malfoy’s shoulders and pushed him backwards into the compartment door. Despite being a little shorter than him, Malfoy actually looked a little terrified. “You shut your filthy little mouth! I know things, Malfoy! And if you keep up that attitude round me, let’s just say that it’s only a murder case if they find the damn bodies!”</p><p>        It was either Crabbe or Goyle who grabbed Kerria’s shoulders to pull her away.</p><p>        “Don’t touch my sister!” yelled Harry.</p><p>        Someone did a ghastly yell that caused all commotion to stop. Scabbers had bitten Goyle’s knuckle and Goyle swung Scabbers around and Scabbers flew off, hitting the window. While everyone was distracted with Scabbers, Crabbe, Goyle, and Malfoy took off. Hermione came in.</p><p>        “What <em>has</em> been going on?” asked Hermione looking at how flustered everyone seemed. Ron picked up Scabbers by the tail.</p><p>        “What is it, Hermione?” asked Susan, twirling her wand.</p><p>        Kerria guessed that during the yelling, Susan took out her wand to use in case a fist-fight broke out.</p><p>        “Have you been fighting? You’ll be in trouble before we even get there!” exclaimed Hermione.</p><p>        “Scabbers has been fighting, not us,” said Ron, scowling.</p><p>        “And Kerria was…arguing with them,” replied Harry.</p><p>        Hermione looked at the others, “You’d better hurry up and put your robes on. I’ve just been up to the front to ask the driver and he says we’re nearly there.” She looked at Ron, “And you’ve got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?”</p><p>        Hermione turned and left, while Ron glared at her.</p><p>        “She’s right, we should change,” said Harry.</p><p>        Kerria and Susan grabbed their uniforms and headed to the nearest toilet to change.</p><p>        “Why did you take out your wand?” Kerria asked Susan.</p><p>        “Oh, if things were going to escalate, I would’ve done something to stop it,” said Susan. “With the way you reacted, I would peg you as a Hufflepuff, but…you’re to dark for Hufflepuff. I never heard of a dark Hufflepuff, though. It would be interesting. You’re probably a Slytherin, though.”</p><p>       “I hope not,’ said Kerria. “I know what I said about Slytherin and all, but I know that Malfoy brat is going to end up in Slytherin and I’d rather not put up with him for seven years.”</p><p>        Susan nodded, “True.”</p><hr/><p>After getting dressed, the two girls went back to the compartment that they shared with the boys. Kerria used a gold rose hair pin to pull back her bangs.</p><p>        Ron’s robes were to short, since Kerria could see his trainers.</p><p>        “We will be reaching Hogsmeade Station in five minutes’ time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately.”</p><p>        Kerria looked at Ron, whose face was white, making his freckles stand out. Susan looked anxious.</p><p>        They joined the crowd that was forming in the corridor. Someone knocked into her a few times.</p><p>        The train slowed down and finally stopped. They pushed their way to the door and out onto a tiny, dark platform. Kerria shivered when the cold night air hit her.</p><p>        A lantern bobbled over the heads of the students. “Firs’-years! Firs’-years over here!” called a gruff voice.</p><p>        Kerria stared at the tall man who had a wild beard and mane of hair. He seemed friendly.</p><p>        “C’mon, follow me – any more firs’-years? Mind yer step, now! Firs’-years follow me!” They followed after the giant of a man down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was dark either on either side of them that Kerria was sure that there were dark trees.</p><p>        “Yeh’ll get yer firs’ sight o’ Hogwarts in a sec,” called the man over his shoulder. “Jus’ round this bend here.”</p><p>        The narrow path opened onto the edge of a lake. Perched on top of the mountain on the other side was a vast castle with many turrets and towers. The windows were lit and sparkled against the starry sky. It was the real life version of the castle that Susan had back at the cottage.</p><p>        “No more’n four to a boat!” called the man. He was pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water. Harry, Ron, Susan, and Kerria scrambled for one of the boats.</p><p>        “Everyone in?” called the man, who had a boat to himself. “Right then – forward!”</p><p>        The boats moved off all at once, and Kerria held onto the edge of the boat with one hand. She really didn’t feel like taking a late-night dip in the lake.</p><p>        “Heads down!” called the man. Kerria ducked and a curtain of ivy brushed the top of her head.</p><p>        The ivy hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried through a dark tunnel.</p><p>        “Harry, this reminds of <em>Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory</em>,” whispered Kerria. “Remember that tunnel scene?”</p><p>        “Yes,” whispered Harry.</p><p>        They finally reached an underground harbour, and they climbed out of the boats. Kerria almost feel down on the rocks and pebbles because she had been used to the boat ride.</p><p>        “Oy, you there! Is this your toad!” called the man.</p><p>        “Trevor!” cried Neville.</p><p>         “How did Trevor go from the train to the lake?” asked Kerria.</p><p>        “Oy! You there! Is this yours?” called the man, holding up a hair pin.</p><p>        “Yes!” called Kerria, surprised the her hair pin had somehow gotten loose during the ride and she hadn't noticed. The man handed the hair pin to Kerria. He had black eyes, which seemed oddly warm. He smiled at Kerria and she had the odd feeling that he knew her…somehow.</p><p>        “This way,” called the man, leading them to passageway in the rock. They climbed up and up, coming out onto smooth, damp grass that was in the shadow of the castle.</p><p>        “Everyone here? You, there, still got your toad and do you have you hair pin?” asked the man. He raised a gigantic fist and knocked on the door three times.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Sorting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The man knocked three times on the door and the door opened to reveal Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        Kerria couldn’t help but smile at the professor. In a way, she had a bit of fondness for the professor.</p><p>        “The firs-years, Professor McGonagall,” said the man.</p><p>        “Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here,” said Professor McGonagall, opening the door wider. They walked in, and Kerria looked around. The Entrance Hall’s stone walls was lined with torches like the ones at Gringotts. The ceiling was too high to even be spotted and there was magnificent marble staircase that would lead to the floors above. Kerria had to remember not to trip and fall down the staircase.</p><p>        She was also sure that the hall could’ve fit Number Four inside the hall.</p><p>        They followed after Professor McGonagalll down the hallway and Kerria heard voices from a doorway that was on her right. Instead of going through the doorway where the rest of the school was obviously at, Professor McGonagall led them through another door into a small empty chamber that was off the hall. They crowded inside and Kerria huddled close to a blonde, who Kerria recognized as Rhiannon and a red-haired girl.</p><p>        Kerria looked around the chamber and then looked as Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        “Welcome to Hogwarts,” said Professor McGonagall. “The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room.</p><p>        “The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.</p><p>        “The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.” She looked off to the side and then Kerria was sure that the professor looked at her for a moment. Professor McGonagall looked off in a different direction, before looking at the first-years.</p><p>        “I shall return when we are ready for you,” said Professor McGonagall. “Please wait quietly.” She left the chamber.</p><p>        “How do we get sorted?” asked the red-haired girl. She started chewing on a lock of her hair.</p><p>        “My parents told me that we have to explain why we belong at Hogwarts,” said Rhiannon.</p><p>        “We have to try on a hat and it yells which house you belong in,” said Kerria. “Amelia told us that.”</p><p>        “Oh,” said the red-haired girl, releasing her hair.</p><p>        “That makes sense,” said Rhiannon.</p><p>        Pearly-white and slightly transparent people walked through the wall. Kerria felt her eyes widened and Rhiannon hid herself behind Kerria’s back.</p><p>        “Ghosts aren’t real,” Rhiannon whispered. “Ghosts aren’t real.”</p><p>        “They seem pretty real to me,” whispered the red-haired girl.</p><p>        The ghosts glided across the room, talking amongst each other about a poltergeist named Peeves, and whether they should give him another chance.</p><p>        “I say, what are you all doing here?” asked a ghost wearing ruffs and tights.</p><p>        “New students!” said a plump ghost wearing a friar outfit. “About to be sorted, I suppose?”</p><p>        The red-haired girl nodded.</p><p>        The Fat Friar said, “Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know.”</p><p>        “Move along now,” said a sharp voice. “The Sorting Ceremony’s about to start.”</p><p>        It was Professor McGonagall. One by one the ghosts walked through the opposite wall.</p><p>        “Now, form a line,” Professor McGonagall told them, “and follow me.”</p><p>        Kerria, Rhiannon, and the red-haired girl lined up. Kerria stood behind Ron, and they walked back across the hall into the double doors.</p><p>        The Great Hall was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in mid-air over four long tables, where the rest of the students were at.</p><p>        The tables were lined with glittering golden plates and goblets.</p><p>        At the top of the Great Hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting at.</p><p>        Kerria looked at the ceiling to see that it was showing the night sky. She had read that the ceiling was bewitched to show the sky outside. She heard Hermione whispering about it to someone. She looked over to see Professor McGonagall placing a pointed wizard’s hat on a three-legged stool. The hat was extremely patched, frayed, and dirty.</p><p>        A rip near the brim opened wide, like a mouth, and it proceeded to sing about four houses. It sang about how Gryffindors were known for their bravery, daring, chivalry, and nerves. Hufflepuffs were known for being just, loyal, patient, and unafraid of toiling. Ravenclaws were known for their intelligence, wit, and ready minds for learning. Slytherins were known for being cunning, ambitious, and using everything to achieve their means.</p><p>        After it finished, the Hall started applauding. The hat bowed to the four tables before it became still again.</p><p>        "So we've just got to try on the hat! I'll kill Fred!" said Ron.</p><p>        Kerria rolled her eyes at what Ron said, but she thought about the houses. She didn't feel daring and she didn't have nerves. She also didn't feel cunning, but then again, she did threaten the Dursleys to get Dudley’s storage room, and used her knowledge of murderers to get out of Privet Drive. However, she did love learning, (true crime especially) and she wasn't afraid of working hard either.</p><p>        Professor McGonagall stepped forward, now holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted." She read the first name, "Abott, Hannah!”</p><p>        A blonde pig-tailed girl went forward and sat on the stool. The hat went over her eyes.</p><p>        There was a pause and the hat shouted, "Hufflepuff!"</p><p>        Kerria clapped along with the rest of the Hufflepuffs that was at the table on the right.</p><p>        The Fat Friar waved at Hannah who went to join her house.</p><p>        “Bones, Susan!” called Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        Susan went forward and sat down on the stool. The hat went over her head and the hat called, “Hufflepuff!”</p><p>        Susan went to join Hannah at the table.</p><p>        “Boot, Terry!”</p><p>        “Ravenclaw!”</p><p>        The table second from the left clapped and Terry went to join the Ravenclaws.</p><p>        Brocklehurt, Mandy, went to join the Ravenclaws as well. Brown, Lavender became the first new Gryffindor and Bulstrode, Millicent became the first new Slytherin.</p><p>        Kerria felt sick and nervous. She and Harry were always been the last to be chosen at their old school. No one wanted Dudley to think that they liked them and Kerria was always known to as the creepy and weird girl. Her appearance didn’t help matters either, with her black hair and pasty-white skin.</p><p>        Vincent Crabbe went to Slytherin.</p><p>        “Donnelly, Keagan!” called Professor McGonagall.</p><p>        A boy with shoulder length-blond hair went forward and sat on the stool. The hat took a bit of time before deciding on him becoming a Gryffindor.</p><p>        Justin Finch-Fletchley became a Hufflepuff.</p><p>        Hermione Granger became a Gryffindor. Ron groaned.        </p><p>        The red-haired girl that Kerria talked to, Charlotte Jones, became a Gryffindor.</p><p>        Neville Longbottom became another Gryffindor and MacDougal, Morag became a Ravenclaw.</p><p>        Malfoy was called and the hat barely touched his head when the hat shouted Slytherin.</p><p>        Lily Moon, Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson, Padma and Parvati Patil, and Sally-Anne Perks were sorted.</p><p>        Finally, Harry was called forward and whispers broke out.</p><p>        “<em>Potter</em>, did she say?”</p><p>        “<em>The </em>Harry Potter?”</p><p>        Harry went forward and sat on the stool. Students were peering curiously over to take a look at him.</p><p>        It took a little longer for the hat to declare Harry a Gryffindor. Kerria clapped for her brother.</p><p>        The Gryffindor table exploded in cheers. They were the ones that cheered the loudest.</p><p>        “We got Potter! We got Potter!” chanted the Weasley twins.</p><p>        Harry took the hat off and went over to the Gryffindor table and sat down opposite of the Gryffindor prefect.</p><p>        Once everyone calmed down, Professor McGonagall called, “Potter, Kerria!”</p><p>        Kerria walked to the stool and had the hat placed on her head.</p><p>        “<em>Hmm</em>,” said a voice in her ear, “<em>Interesting, very, very interesting</em>.”</p><p>        “<em>What do you mean by that?</em>” asked Kerria.</p><p>        “<em>You’re intelligent, very intelligent,</em> said the hat.</p><p>        “<em>I guess</em>,” replied Kerria.</p><p>        “<em>Especially when it comes to true crime</em>,” said the hat. “<em>Oh, I see that you’re a Seer. I haven’t sorted one in years.</em> <em>You’re very cunning, using your knowledge of true crime to get what you want, and you’re not afraid to us it either. This is tricky, very tricky.</em>”</p><p>        “<em>Sorry?</em>” replied Kerria.</p><p>        “<em>No need to be sorry, now where to place you,</em>” said the hat. “<em>I think Slytherin would suit you.</em>”</p><p>        “<em>No</em>,” replied Kerria. “<em>I don’t want to be placed in Slytherin.</em>”</p><p>        The hat asked, “<em>Are you sure</em>?”</p><p>        “<em>Yes, I don’t want to be a Slytherin</em>,” said Kerria. “<em>That horrid Malfoy is in that house.</em>”</p><p>        “<em>Well, if you insist,</em>” said the Hat. “Gryffindor!”</p><p>        Kerria felt relieved and the Gryffindor table exploded in cheers, louder than the cheers for Harry.</p><p>        The Weasley twins were now pounding the table chanting, “We got both Potters! We got both Potters!”</p><p>        Kerria went over to the Gryffindor table and Harry surprisingly hugged Kerria. Kerria awkwardly hugged him back.</p><p>        When they lived with the Dursleys, affection was off the table, even to each other. It would just cause trouble to each other.</p><p>        Kerria sat down and looked at the high table. Professor Dumbledore was sitting there, but for a brief moment, he seemed…relieved.</p><p>        Lisa Turpin became a Ravenclaw, then Ron became a Weasley, then Rhiannon Williams became a Gryffindor, and lastly, a black boy named Blaise Zabini became a Slytherin.</p><p>        Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the hat away.</p><p>        Professor Dumbledore stood up and held out his arms, like he was expecting a hug or something. He said, “Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin out banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!” He sat back down and everybody clapped and cheered.</p><p>        Kerria felt more confused instead. She looked at everybody else.</p><p>        “Is he – a bit mad?” Harry asked Percy.</p><p>        “Mad? He’s a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry? Kerria?” replied Percy.</p><p>        Kerria frowned and looked down to see that the dishes where now filled with food. There was: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, chips, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and mint humbugs.</p><p>        Kerria went for some roast beef, chips, Yorkshire pudding, and sausages. </p><p>        “That does look good,” said the ghost in the ruff and tights. He sounded sad.</p><p>        “Ghosts can eat?” asked Kerria.</p><p>        “No,” replied the ghost. “I haven’t eaten anything for nearly five hundred years. I don’t need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don’t think I’ve introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower.”</p><p>        “I know who you are!” exclaimed Ron suddenly. “My brothers told me about you – you’re Nearly Headless Nick!”</p><p>        Nearly Headless Nick stiffly said, “I would <em>prefer</em> you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy—”</p><p>        “<em>Nearly</em> Headless? How can you be <em>nearly</em> headless?” asked Seamus Finnegan.</p><p>        Kerria was about to explain but Harry grabbed her arm and said, “No one wants to hear that kind of talk while eating.”</p><p>        That attracted a few weird looks and Kerria forced a smile at them.</p><p>        “Like <em>this</em>,” said Nearly Headless Nick. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell on to his shoulder. Someone had tried to behead him, but had obviously done a crappy job at it.</p><p>        Kerria was instantly intrigued. Nearly Headless Nick looked at the stunned looks on the first-years’ faces, but seemed to falter at the look on Kerria’s face; who was looking more amazed than stunned. Kerria slowly started smiling at the ghost, “That’s so cool! What crime did you commit to get an execution though?”</p><p>        Harry grimaced and Nearly Headless Nick looked to be at a cross of confusion and offended. “That is something that I wish to not speak of to a first-year.”</p><p>        Kerria grinned at the challenge. “Don’t worry, I’ll find out soon enough.” She turned around and went back to eating like nothing happened.</p><p>        “Harry, your sister is weird,” said Seamus Finnegan to Harry.</p><p>        “No, she isn’t,” said Harry sounding angry. “She’s cool when you get to know her better.”</p><p>        “Sorry,” replied Seamus a little taken aback.</p><p>        Kerria didn’t know what Seamus was expecting when he insulted her, however, the insult didn’t really bother her to much. She knew who she was, and yes, she knew she was weird.</p><p>        Nick moved on down the table.</p><p>        Soon, the dinner faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean and a moment later, the puddings appeared. There were: blocks of ice-cream in every flavour, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, jelly, right pudding…</p><p>        Kerria took some chocolate éclairs and trifle. Kerria took a few slices of treacle tarts and passed two slices to Harry.</p><p>        “Thanks, Kerry,” said Harry grinning.</p><p>        The talk at the table turned to their families.</p><p>        “I’m half and half,” said Seamus. “Me dad’s a Muggle. Mam didn’t tell him she was a witch ‘til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him.”</p><p>        The others laughed and Kerria frowned.</p><p>        “What about you, Neville?” asked Ron.</p><p>        “Well, my gran brought me up and she’s a witch,” said Neville, “but the family thought I was all Muggle for ages. My great-uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and  force some magic out of me – he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned—”</p><p>        “That’s horrible!” exclaimed Kerria. “That’s also attempted murder!” She got older students’ attention.</p><p>        Harry grabbed Kerria’s shoulder, “Kerry, please don’t talk about things while we’re all eating.”</p><p>        Kerria nodded, “All right.” She looked at Neville, “Sorry for interrupting you, Neville.”</p><p>        “It’s all right, Kerria,” said Neville. “Nothing happened until I was eight, though. Great-uncle Algie came round for tea and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my great-auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced – all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased. Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here – they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great-uncle Algie was so pleased, he bought me my toad.”</p><p>        “He better have apologized to you for his actions,” said Kerria angrily. “He could have seriously hurt you if your magic hadn’t kicked in.”</p><p>        “I think he did,” said Neville, “but I forgot if he did.”</p><p>        “How about you Keagan?” asked Seamus.</p><p>        Keagan shrugged, “My dad was a wizard and my <em>mother</em> was a Muggle.” He had an Irish accent and he didn’t sound happy at the mention of his mother and Kerria wondered why.</p><p>        Kerria took a bite out of some trifle when she heard Harry exclaim, “Ouch!”</p><p>        She looked over at Harry, concerned. “What happened?”</p><p>        Harry had his hand to his head.</p><p>        “What is it?” asked Percy.</p><p>        “N-nothing,” said Harry shakily.</p><p>        “Who’s that teacher talking to the professor in the turban?” asked Harry.</p><p>        “Oh, the one in the turban is Professor Quirrell, he teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts,” said Percy. “The one talking to Professor Quirrell is Professor Snape. He teachers Potions, but he doesn’t want to—”</p><p>        “Sounds like blackmail to me,” said Kerria. Harry rolled his eyes and Percy looked at Kerria, almost concerned.</p><p>        “Anyway, everyone knows that he’s after Quirrell’s job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts,” said Percy.</p><p>        “So, he most likely has a love for the Dark Arts,” said Kerria. “He probably studies the Dark Arts, but that doesn’t make him a bad person.” She went back to eating and had to nudge Harry when she realized that Harry was staring at Snape for a little to long.</p><p>        The puddings disappeared and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The Hall immediately fell silent.</p><p>        Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat and said, “Just a few more words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well.” He glanced at someone in the Hall. “I have also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year; the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death.”</p><p>        Kerria and Harry looked at each other nervously.</p><p>        Kerria asked Percy, “Is he being serious?”</p><p>        “Must be,” said Percy. “It’s odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we’re not allowed to go somewhere – the forest’s full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that.”</p><p>        “And you can actually get lost and die in the forest too. There have been many people going missing in forests. Or at least, National Parks in America,” said Kerria. “No one talks about it, though. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Dennis_Martin">Dennis Martin</a> comes to mind. He and his brothers went behind some trees to hide to play a prank on the adults of the park by jumping out to scare them, but he just vanished. A bit later, there was reportedly a scream and a large man with something slung on his shoulder. It’s unknown if it’s related to his disappearance.”</p><p>        The surrounding students were looking very bewildered by that information.</p><p>        Harry just sighed, “Please forgive my sister. She’s into true crime.”</p><p>        During that bit of information, apparently the school had burst into singing the school song. There was a long golden ribbon that was high above the tables that had song lyrics on it.</p><p>        Kerria couldn’t enjoy the music and looked at the professors again. There was a greasy-haired, hook-nosed professor, right next to Professor Quirrell. The professor seemed to look right at Kerria and then looked away quickly.</p><p>        The song finished, with the Weasley twins singing at a very slow pace. When the Weasley twins finished, Professor Dumbledore clapped the loudest. He wiped his eyes, “Ah, music, a magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot.”</p><p>        The Gryffindor first-years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall and they followed up the marble staircase.</p><p>        The people in the portraits pointed as they passed by. Percy led them through doorways that were hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. They climbed up more staircases.</p><p>        Kerria was growing weary at all the walking. They came to a stop and Harry walked into her.</p><p>        “Sorry, Kerry,” said Harry.</p><p>        “Its okay,” replied Kerria.</p><p>        There was a bundle of walking sticks floating in mid-air ahead of them. Percy whispered, “Peeves, a poltergeist.” He raised his voice, “Peeves – show yourself!”</p><p>        There was a sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, as if it was an answer.</p><p>        Percy responded, “Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?”</p><p>        There was a pop and a little man appeared, floating cross-legged in the air. He had dark eyes and a wide mouth. He was holding walking sticks.</p><p>        “Ooh!” Peeves said and did an evil cackle. “Ickle firsties! What fun!”</p><p>        He swooped at them and Kerria ducked to avoid getting hit in the head with the walking sticks.</p><p>        “Go away, Peeves, or the Baron’ll hear about this!” ordered Percy. “I meant it!”</p><p>        Peeves stuck his tongue at them and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville’s head. There was rattling like the coats of armour was shaking, so Kerria assumed that’s where Peeves went.</p><p>        “You want to watch out for Peeves,” said Percy as they started walking door the corridor again. “The Bloody Baron’s the only one who can control him. He won’t even listen to us Prefects. Here we are.”</p><p>        At the end of the corridor was a portrait of very fat woman in a pink silk dress. She asked, “Password?”</p><p>        “<em>Caput Draconis</em>,” said Percy. The portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall.</p><p>        They all scrambled through it – although Neville needed help. They found themselves in the Gryffindor common room. It was cosy and round, full of squashy armchairs.</p><p>        “The girls’ dormitories are through that door there, and the boys’ dormitories are through that door over there,” said Percy. “The boys’ can’t go up the staircase that leads to the girls’ dormitories.”</p><p>        “So that means that the girls can go into the boys’ dormitories?” asked Kerria confused.</p><p>        “The Hogwarts founders thought that girls were more trustworthy than boys,” said Percy.</p><p>        Kerria arched an eyebrow at that, but followed the rest of her dorm-mates up the spiraling staircase to the top.</p><p>        They stood in front of the door.</p><p>        “You can go in first,” said Lavender to Kerria.</p><p>        “Why me?” asked Kerria.</p><p>        “You are the Girl-Who-Lived,” said Parvati.</p><p>        Hermione got impatient and went in first. Kerria followed after her.</p><p>        The dormitory was circular as well; the beds were in a curve against the opposite wall. The walls were stone and the floor was wooden. There were six poster beds, covered in cardinal red eiderdowns with matching curtains. There was a nightstand next to each bed and their school trunks were at the food of the beds. On the windowsill, there was a jug of water and off to the side of the room was the bathroom with a shower stall. There was a five-tier shelf that had red towels on it.</p><p>        Misty was already on one of the beds, licking her leg. When they walked in, Misty looked up at them, her fur still in her mouth and looking surprised, like they walked in on her doing something she shouldn’t have been doing.</p><p>        Kerria guessed that the bed that was at the end was going to be hers. She walked over to her trunk and opened it, taking out her pyjamas and putting them on.</p><p>        "Is it true?" asked Hermione.</p><p>        Kerria was confused and asked, "Is what true?"</p><p>        “What happened to that boy? Dennis Martin?” asked Hermione.</p><p>        “Yes,” said Kerria. “He was six-years-old. The park rangers believe that he somehow got lost and died. I’m not entirely sure how he would get lost when he went to hide behind a bush, but children do have habits of wandering off. I think he was carted off by someone. It seems more logical in my mind, but Harry thinks that Dennis wandered off on his own.” She shrugged and saw that the other girls were looking at her weirdly. “What?”</p><p>        “Why do you know that?” asked Lavender.</p><p>        “I like to read up on true crime,” said Kerria. “I don’t know why, but I just find it fascinating to know how dark the world can really go and how strange it is.”</p><p>        Parvati slowly said, “Okay.”</p><p>        Kerria shrugged again, pulling the curtains close, and laid down with Misty curling up by her feet.</p><p>        “I can’t wait for the first day of school tomorrow,” said Charlotte sounding excited. “It’s going to be amazing.”</p><p>        Kerria just nodded, “Yeah. It would be.”</p><p>        With that, she fell asleep.</p>
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